The Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto
by tagardner751
Summary: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu explore the vast Johto region. Tristan and Pikachu's ultimate goal is to earn the eight badges he needs to qualify for the Johto League while Hillary participates in various tournaments to gain experience. Meanwhile, a small Lugia befriends Tristan. His compassion allows it to grow big and strong, and in the process, learn about the world around it.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! This will be my third fanfiction story. This time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu will be exploring the Johto region, but informally, it's the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. First, they'll do some vacationing with their grandparents, Veronica and Eric. This is based on my experiences with the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games back when I first played them. I was inspired to do this fanfiction story by watching and reading some of my favorite childhood TV shows and books. I'll tell you about them once we get to some of these chapters. There will be lots of surprises in store, and 100 new Pokémon species to meet. Some of whom you've met already. Just so you know, I do not own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known character names are trademarks of Nintendo. I hope you enjoy this.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu go on a road trip with their grandparents, Veronica and Eric, and begin learning about the Johto region's rich history in Ecruteak City.**

**Chapter 1: A LEGENDARY PAST**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_Today, our heroes are beginning a new journey, but this time, they're travelling with their grandparents on their vacation. Their very first stop on their trip is Ecruteak City, where they're about to learn some ancient secrets._

A car pulled into the city limits of Ecruteak City on a beautiful sunny morning. It gently rolled to a stop.

Tristan and Hillary, still in their clothes from the Orange Islands, plus Pikachu got out of the car, followed by their grandparents, Veronica and Eric.

"Ah, smell that fresh air," said Tristan as he took a deep breath.

"Yeah, this is perfect weather for travel," agreed Hillary.

"Well, today, we're going to learn about the history of the Tin Tower," said Veronica. "And our host today is Morty, the Leader of the Ecruteak Gym."

"What's he going to tell us, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"He's going to tell us about the Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh," answered Veronica.

"What's a Ho-Oh?" asked Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Messenger)_

"It's a powerful Legendary Pokémon that has Sacred Fire abilities, and legend says that it's able to bring dead forests back to life."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu gasped in wonder.

"Legend also states that Ho-Oh lived in the Tin Tower in ancient times," added Veronica. "But war broke out, and the Brass Tower burned to the ground. And when it did, Ho-Oh created Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. That is the old Brass Tower over there." She pointed to an old burned building. It looked like it had existed since ancient times.

"A new Tin Tower was built a short distance from where the Brass Tower stands," said Eric as he pointed to a much taller building. It looked just as old as the Brass Tower, except it was in pristine condition.

The Tin Tower looked strong and tall compared to the old Brass Tower.

"Come on, let's go and visit Morty at the Gym," suggested Veronica. "Maybe he can tell us more about it." And she led the group a short way through town.

The buildings in Ecruteak City looked old-fashioned.

Everyone felt like they were travelling back in time.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents made their way to a smaller building. Like most of the rest of the buildings, this one, too, was old fashioned.

A tall young man saw them approaching them. He had golden yellow hair with a blue bandanna around it. He wore a blue long sleeve shirt with yellow elbows. It was Morty. "Hi there," he said warmly. "Welcome to Ecruteak City." He saw Veronica and Eric. "My old friends, Veronica and Eric. It's nice to see the two of you again."

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. "You know him?"

"We met each other a few years before you guys moved to New Bark Town," explained Veronica. "Morty was appointed Ecruteak City's Gym Leader, and we thought it would be interesting to meet someone who knows as much about Legendary Pokémon as we do, maybe more."

"I appreciate the kind words, Veronica," smiled Morty. "Who are these young Trainers?"

"My name's Tristan, Morty," said Tristan. "And this is my partner, Pikachu, and my sister, Hillary."

"Hi," greeted Hillary.

Pikachu greeted Morty as well.

"These are two of our grandchildren," explained Veronica. "They had just completed their journey through the Orange Islands. Right now, we're taking a little road trip on our vacation, so we thought we'd stop here and give them a crash course of the ancient past."

"That's very interesting," said Morty. He turned to Tristan. "You remind me of another Trainer I met not too long ago. His name is Ash Ketchum. On his first day as a Pokémon Trainer, he also saw the legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh."

"He did?" said Tristan. "That's extraordinary."

"Do you know what Ho-Oh looks like, Morty?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I haven't actually seen Ho-Oh face to face," said Morty. "But I do know that it's a Pokémon whose body glows in seven colors, just like a rainbow. To be specific, its feathers are predominantly gold and red, and it had yellow tail feathers, a white underside, and green feathers at the tip of its wings."

Tristan tried to imagine what Ho-Oh looked like through Morty's description. Then suddenly, something seemed to dawn on him. "I think I saw Ho-Oh before!"

Everyone gasped at the revelation.

"Where did _you _see it?" asked Morty, who was a little surprised.

"It was near Fuschia City," answered Tristan. "After Hillary and I rescued Articuno from Team Rocket, we saw this rainbow-colored Pokémon fly in the sky. It left a huge rainbow behind."

"That has to be it!" gasped Hillary. "That has to be the Pokémon we saw while we were travelling through Kanto!"

Morty then smiled. "I may not believe it now, but if you guys say you saw Ho-Oh before, then I'll have to believe you eventually. Come on, I want to show you something." And he led the entire group inside the Gym.

* * *

The interior looked just as old-fashioned as the exterior.

"At least there's electricity," remarked Hillary.

"We use electricity for just about everything, including Gym Battles," replied Morty. "Please have a seat."

Everyone sat down as Morty turned on a TV set. "I was going to watch a story of what happened in the Tin Tower in the past so I can learn more about it. But having all of you here to watch it with me was perfect timing. I think this documentary may intrigue you." He then took out a tape, put it into the machine, and began to play it.

Everyone watched in wonder as the story began and the voice of a narrator was heard.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Mystical Story)_

_**The Story of the Tin Tower**_

Once upon a time, in the beautiful historic city of Ecruteak, there was a beautiful tower called the Tin Tower. It was built 1,000 years ago to promote peace and understanding between people and Pokémon alike. Many of those people protected the Tin Tower every day, day and night, without rest.

Many years passed by, and as they did, the Tin Tower became a special place for still another reason. It was the only place on Earth where a legendary Pokémon made contact with these ancient people. The Pokémon's name was Ho-Oh.

Ho-Oh flew and visited the tower each and every day, as its visits were a sign of peace. However, it would only appear to a select few.

Those few people, including the ancient people, paid their respects to the legendary Ho-Oh, who perched on a tall stand, as a sign of their gratitude. A prayer flame stood at the legendary Ho-Oh's feet.

But then, one day, 700 years later, evil people came to Ecruteak City. It was a stormy day.

One man, the leader of the invaders prepared to charge toward the tower. "This is it, men," he said. "Today's the day that we finally get our hands on Ho-Oh's power. If we can steal this power, the entire world will cower at our feet."

"That Ho-Oh will soon be ours," a follower agreed. "We'll show these fools our unstoppable might."

"And then we'll use Ho-Oh's power for anything we see fit," said another.

"All right then!" said the leader. "Let's go flush out Ho-Oh and take over the world!"

"YEAH!" roared the invaders. And with torches in hand, they all set off to the Tin Tower to capture Ho-Oh.

Meanwhile, inside the Tin Tower, the guards were busy paying their respects to Ho-Oh, little realizing the danger they were in.

Suddenly, Ho-Oh looked up and heard something.

The guards knew that whenever Ho-Oh looked up, there was trouble. And sure enough, there was.

The invaders charged into the tower and came into the room where Ho-Oh and the guards were.

The guards drew their swords and prepared to battle.

"Who dares trespass?" demanded one guard.

"Halt in the name of Ho-Oh!" added another.

One invader threw a torch across the room.

"Somebody grab that torch!" cried a third guard.

_(Music Cue: Cause for Alarm)_

But it was too late, for the torch dropped to the ground, and the fire spread everywhere in the room.

It was the beginning of what was soon to be the most destructive war Ecruteak City had ever seen.

The guards summoned reinforcements to try and battle the invaders and drive them out of Ecruteak City.

However, the guards knew that they would be outnumbered by the invaders, but despite the odds, they battled them for all it was worth.

As the war raged on, things grew more and more intense. The fire kept growing and spread to almost every corner of the room. There was nothing for the guards to do but flee the tower.

Lightning flashed just outside. It kept getting closer and closer as it flashed with more and more regularity.

Ho-Oh sadly watched the battle and began to shed tears, for it knew something about the Tin Tower that nobody else had ever known.

In another room below where the war was raging, three nameless Pokémon, who heard the noise inside and outside, were getting more and more nervous. They knew this was a bad situation, but didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, the biggest lightning bolt struck the Tin Tower directly, causing the entire tower to burst into flames.

Everyone inside felt the loud boom, but they had no idea of the danger that was coming next.

Flames surrounded every corner of the tower, causing every invader to flee the scene as well, despite being unable to steal Ho-Oh's power.

Unfortunately, the three nameless Pokémon were caught in the flames. All of their exits were blocked by smoke, flames, and falling debris. There was nothing they could do. As a result, all three of those Pokémon were unable to escape on time as the fire destroyed the Tin Tower.

Seeing this, Ho-Oh felt very, very sad, guilty that it couldn't do anything to help the nameless Pokémon or the guards protect the tower. So it flew high into the sky and, using its great power, broke through the burning roof. It saw the devastation from high above as rain began to fall from the sky down on the flames. Then, using its legendary power, the three nameless Pokémon were bathed in lights of blue, red, and yellow.

_My friends, _it said. _I'm so sorry I was unable to help you escape this terrible tragedy. Evil humans caused this to happen to you and this place. But fear not, I shall create new lives for you. Behold. _Ho-Oh then glowed in a beautiful light and spoke to the Pokémon bathed in the yellow light first. _You will be the very first Pokémon that represents the lightning that struck the tower; however, your powers will be used for good in the centuries to come. I have the perfect name for you as the reincarnation of thunder. Your name shall be...Raikou._

Raikou roared as it emerged from the glowing yellow light. It looked like a yellow tiger with black stripes and white underside. It had two fangs like a saber-toothed cat, and it had a mane that represented dark purple rain clouds.

Next, Ho-Oh spoke to the Pokémon bathed in the red light. _You, like me, represent fire, but the fire that you represent is the fire that burned the tower. However, don't mistake that for evil, for your fire will be for the good of this world. I have bestowed a unique gift to you. Your barks will set off a random volcanic eruption somewhere around the world. I have the perfect name for you as the reincarnation of the volcano itself. Your name shall be...Entei._

Entei roared a mighty roar as it emerged from the red light. It had a leonine quadruped that was covered in brown fur, and it had a mane that looked like a thin, light gray cloud of smoke.

Finally, Ho-Oh spoke to the Pokémon bathed in blue light. _You, perhaps are the most important part of this world, since you represent the water that put out the fire burning this tower. You will have the power to simply walk across water and purify any dirty water with just one touch. I have the perfect name for a creature that's a beautiful as yourself. You name shall be...Suicune._

"Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune!" roared Suicune, as it emerged from the blue light. It looked like a blue mammalian-like quadruped with diamond shaped markings. It had a purple mane on its back that resembled the aurora borealis, and had a hexagonal, cerulean blue crest on its forehead.

_Listen, my friends, _Ho-Oh said. _I have now bestowed on you the gift of life once again. You now possess more power than before the tower burned. I must now flee this place. I'm going on an endless journey through the world's skies. I am sad, yet angry that this awful circumstance happened because of the invaders who came to steal my power. My wish is that I would find a human with a pure heart, someone who knows right from wrong. When the hearts of Pokémon and humans become one, I will return to this place. But until that time comes. I will need you three to help me observe this world from the ground. I must go now. Good luck...and goodbye. _And Ho-Oh flew off and disappeared into the sky as the rain continued to put the fire out.

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune realized their mission, and off they ran at incredible speed in three different directions to observe mankind from the ground.

Some time later, the fire was put out, and the skies cleared up.

The guards were unsure of what to do about the burned tower.

"Let's repair the damage and rebuild it," the first one said.

"But we can't do that," replied the second. "The world may not know that some humans are in fact evil. I say we leave it as is."

"I agree with you on that," added the third guard. "But we should build another Tin Tower, like the one we stood guard in before it burned. Our hope is that when it gets built, Ho-Oh will return."

Just then, the first guard saw a few things inside the rubble. "Look there!" he said.

Sure enough, they saw an incredible sight. There were 32 metal bells and four crystal bells that were miraculously untouched by the flames.

"These bells may be just what we need," said the second guard.

"Those bells may be the key to Ho-Oh's return," said the third. "The 32 metal bells will ring to alert us, whether something is stolen from the tower or when Ho-Oh is coming. But the special crystal bells will ring when Ho-Oh begins to arrive."

With the tragedy behind them, the guards began construction on building a new Tin Tower.

The months passed until finally, construction was completed. The new Tin Tower was built, and continues to stand tall to this day.

However, since that terrible day, Ho-Oh has never returned, and has flown through the world's skies ever since.

* * *

When the presentation was over, everyone was in awe of what happened.

At the same time, Tristan felt sad. "Poor Ho-Oh," he said. "Maybe it's sad and lonely because it doesn't have any friends, especially since nobody protected the three Pokémon."

"Don't worry, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Someday, we'll meet Ho-Oh, and tell it how we feel about Pokémon."

"That's a good ambition," smiled Morty. "I can see that you two really care about Pokémon so much. I think your presence is part of the evidence that Ho-Oh will return here someday. I know that day will come."

"We all do," agreed Tristan.

Morty turned to Veronica and Eric. "You two should be very lucky to have raised such wonderful grandchildren. They may just have a bright future waiting for them, especially when Ho-Oh returns. Thank you for bringing them to Ecruteak City."

"Thank you, Morty," replied Veronica and Eric.

"Thanks a lot, Morty," added Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu thanked Morty, too.

* * *

In a little while, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Veronica, and Eric made their way to their car and got in.

"Who's ready for our vacation on the beach?" asked Veronica excitedly.

"We are!" replied Tristan and Hillary excitedly.

"That's great because we're going to the Whirl Islands to have some fun in the sun," said Eric.

"All right, let's go!" said Tristan and Hillary excitedly.

_(Music Cue: Bicycle 1999-2001)_

Everyone buckled their seat belts as Veronica started the car and began driving out of Ecruteak City.

On the way out, they passed through the surrounding forests. Tristan was awed by the many different Pokémon living there, some of whom he'd never seen before. "Look at them all!" he said. "I guess this place really is peaceful when humans and Pokémon are friendly with one another."

"I've never seen so many Pokémon living in one place," added Hillary.

"These Pokémon are normally very friendly," replied Eric. "But once something goes wrong, they sense it, and if a human does something terrible, they might just try to take their anger out on everyone in this town, all except our brave childhood heroes, that is." He then laughed.

"Now, Eric, quit trying to scare the children," scolded Veronica.

"Sorry, dear," said Eric.

Tristan and Hillary chuckled. They knew that their grandfather was only teasing them.

"So where exactly are we going, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"Like I said before, dear, we're going to the beach," answered Veronica. "But I thought I'd take you to Kisado City on Silver Rock Isle on the Whirl Islands."

"The Whirl Islands? What are they?" asked Tristan.

"They're a group of different islands with whirlpools and many different Water-type Pokémon living there," explained Veronica. "Your grandfather and I were there many years ago when we were traveling together. Maybe we'll see some rare Pokémon there."

"Oh, boy!" said Tristan excitedly. He always loved seeing new Pokémon.

"How will we get there, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"First, we'll take the road to Olivine City," explained Veronica. "Once we're there, we'll take the ferry headed for the Whirl Islands."

They drove on and on closer to Olivine City with each passing minute.

* * *

Some time later, they reached Olivine City.

Veronica parked her car and got out. "Come on, everyone!" she said "Our ferry awaits!"

"Yeah!" said Tristan and Hillary as they, their grandfather, and Pikachu followed her excitedly to the ferry.

In no time at all, they got on board, and soon, the ferry pulled away from Olivine City's harbor, and was sailing toward the Whirl Islands.

* * *

_Having unofficially begun their journey in the Johto region, our heroes board a ferry and head on over to Kisado City in the Whirl Islands for some beach time. What surprises will await them there? With this part of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's story just beginning, you've just got to stay tuned!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. AN INCREDIBLE SECRET

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 2 of the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. You may have heard or read about the classic book, "The Trumpet of the Swan" by E.B. White. Maybe you've even read it. Now to you, this chapter may display some similarities between this chapter and the book, but I can assure you that it's different in more ways than one. The instrumental version of the music cue "All We Wanna Do" from the CD _Totally Pokémon _comes in this chapter. You've also heard it periodically in the segment "Pokémon Karaokemon" on _Pokémon: The Johto Journeys. _** **This song was written by Ken Cummings and John Loeffler. If you want, you can imagine the lead singers Élan Rivera and Jamily Gray from the music group Johto singing along to this song, but you don't have to. ****Once again, I do not own Pokémon. Please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan discovers a mysterious Pokémon, who is so fiercely protective because it is taking care of two eggs. After he rescues the eggs, the Pokémon begins to trust him. The babies hatch and one of them quickly befriends him. However, Tristan wants to keep the mysterious Pokémon's existence a secret.**

**Chapter 2: AN INCREDIBLE SECRET**

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver (as heard in "The Little Big Horn"))_

_Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu finally have a chance to experience some down time thanks to their grandparents, Veronica and Eric, who are treating them to a few days at the beach at Kisado City on Silver Rock Isle in the Whirl Islands._

"Thanks for taking us here, guys," said Tristan.

"You're very welcome," replied Veronica and Eric together.

"After all the journeying you two have been doing so far, you deserve some time to relax and enjoy yourselves," added Veronica. "Eevee agrees, don't you?"

Her Eevee nodded.

"We'll do our best," said Hillary. She ran off with Tristan to play on the beach in their swimming gear as Pikachu followed them.

"Be careful out there, guys, and have fun!" called Veronica as she and Eric started to leave.

"We will!" replied Tristan and Hillary.

* * *

After swimming in the water for a few hours, Tristan and Hillary changed back into their regular clothes and started back to the Pokémon Center to meet up with their grandparents. But just then, Tristan spotted a shadow in the water near another island.

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I thought I saw something out there," replied Tristan. He wasn't sure exactly what he saw, but in a few seconds, it was gone.

"Maybe you just imagined it," said Hillary. "Let's go."

"You go ahead, sis. I'll catch up later," said Tristan.

"Okay, then," replied Hillary. "Just be careful, and don't make Grandma worry too much."

Hillary went on ahead to the Pokémon Center while Tristan stayed behind to see if he could see what he saw a few seconds before. He and Pikachu noticed a tunnel and cautiously crossed it to the other side to Ogi Isle. He sat on the water's edge on that island and kept very still, hoping that he could see what he thought he saw earlier.

Tristan took out a pair of binoculars and looked out over the water, but couldn't find a thing.

Just then, a pale-silver white head popped up out of the water. It had a long, slender neck, but Tristan wasn't sure if he was able to see it completely.

Either way, Tristan was amazed by the sight of the mysterious Pokémon. "Wow," he whispered to Pikachu. "It looks so powerful, yet so beautiful. I wish I knew what it was."

Pikachu wondered, too.

They both saw the mysterious Pokémon swimming toward the island in the distance. When it emerged from the water, it was a lot bigger than he first thought. The creature resembled a dragon, a plesiosaur, and a bird, all at the same time. It had a wings that resembled hands, and blue plates on its back.

"I wonder what that Pokémon's doing?" wondered Tristan as he focused his binoculars on it.

The mysterious Pokémon sat on the island very carefully, but Tristan wasn't sure why. Suddenly, it turned and seemed to glare at him and Pikachu for some reason.

"Pika pika!" shouted Pikachu in alarm.

"Shhh!" whispered Tristan as he covered Pikachu's mouth. "Quiet, Pikachu. We don't want it to hear us. I'm sure it'll realize that we mean no harm to it, whatever it is, or whatever it's doing. Most Pokémon need their space sometimes, especially if they're doing something very important."

Pikachu nodded and calmed down.

The mysterious Pokémon still glared at Tristan and Pikachu and readied itself for an attack should they come any closer to it, but they both kept very still and didn't make a sound, still awestruck at the sight of the creature.

After an hour of watching, Tristan and Pikachu got up and quietly left for the tunnel back for Silver Rock Isle and the Pokémon Center, hardly making a sound. The Pokémon watched them go.

* * *

When Tristan and Pikachu got back to the Pokémon Center, Hillary, Veronica, and Eric were already having dinner.

"Sorry we're late," said Tristan.

"Where were you, young adventurer?" asked Veronica.

"We thought you were going to miss dinner," added Eric.

"I was out exploring the island," replied Tristan. He wanted to keep the appearance of the silvery creature to himself.

"Anyway, there's pizza waiting for you," said Veronica.

"Yeah, help yourself," added Hillary.

"All right!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu happily went to the counter and got some as he joined the others at the table.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Unhinged)_

The next morning, Tristan and Pikachu were up early.

Tristan cooked some breakfast and shared it with Pikachu. Afterwards, he found a pen and some paper and wrote down a note. It read:

**Pikachu and I have gone for a walk. We'll be back for lunch.**

He put the note somewhere where Hillary and his grandparents would find it. Then, he and Pikachu quietly left the Pokémon Center for Ogi Isle across the undersea tunnel.

Tristan wanted to see the mysterious Pokémon again. He somehow felt that he was being drawn toward it. However, he didn't want anybody else to know about it for the Pokémon's own safety.

* * *

When Hillary, Veronica, and Eric woke up an hour later, they found the note and saw that Tristan and Pikachu were gone.

Hillary and Eric knew that Tristan loved going on adventures, even on vacation.

Of course, Veronica was the only one concerned. "I just hope Tristan knows what he's doing out there," she said nervously.

Hillary assured her. "I think he'll be just fine, Grandma. After all, he's proven himself to be quite capable, especially with Pikachu on his side."

* * *

When Tristan and Pikachu reached Ogi Isle, they found the spot where they sat the evening before and quietly took their positions. Tristan took out his binoculars and looked for the same creature that he saw. He didn't see it, but what he did see almost made him jump in surprise. He found a nest on that very same island where the creature was. Not only that, there were two silver eggs.

"This is an amazing discovery!" whispered Tristan. "That explains why that Pokémon glared at us last night. It was protecting its eggs."

Just as he said that, he spied a blue jellyfish Pokémon with multiple tentacles shooting out of the water.

_(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "The Lost Lapras"))_

In a twinkling, it raced toward the nest where the eggs were and prepared to attack.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan. "It's a Tentacruel, and it's headed straight for the eggs!"

The silver Pokémon was nowhere to be seen, and Tentacruel was already halfway to the nest.

"We have to get to the eggs before it's too late! Lapras, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball.

Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan and Pikachu quickly hopped on Lapras's back as it started swimming toward the island as fast as it could.

Tentacruel aimed its poisonous stinger directly at them.

"Hurry, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack to stop that Tentacruel!" ordered Tristan.

Wasting no time, Pikachu jumped as high as it could, and shot a yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks at Tentacruel, scoring a direct hit on it.

After that, Pikachu landed neatly on Lapras's head. Pikachu was ready to attack again in case Tentacruel returned for a second attempt, but Tentacruel was in no mood to return thanks to Pikachu's attack.

Tentacruel disappeared back into the water.

"Phew!" said Tristan. "That was close. Great job, Pikachu."

Pikachu was about to reply when it suddenly lost its balance, and fell off of Lapras's head into the water.

"Are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu then resurfaced. It scratched its head, as if it meant to do that.

Just then, the silvery Pokémon emerged from the water. It saw Tristan and Pikachu near its eggs and glared at him warily.

"Hold on there," said Tristan. "I'm not gonna steal your eggs. We saw a wild Tentacruel attack them, but Pikachu and I scared it away."

Pikachu and Lapras cried out in agreement.

The creature heard what Tristan and his Pokémon said and stopped glaring at him. It realized, beyond a doubt, that Tristan and Pikachu were its friends. They were in the right place at the right time and used the right attack to drive Tentacruel away. It felt lucky that its eggs were safe.

The creature landed on the island cautiously near Lapras and Tristan as Pikachu reunited with him in his arms.

"You're all wet," said Tristan

Pikachu happily replied and quickly shook itself dry, spraying drops of water onto Tristan.

Tristan laughed. "Now I'm the one who's all wet," he said as he turned to the creature. Sure enough, it was significantly taller than him.

The creature nodded approvingly at Tristan and returned to the task of keeping its eggs warm.

Then, Tristan and Pikachu, still on Lapras's back returned to Ogi Isle and sat back down on the ground again as his heart raced from all the excitement. "Thanks a lot, Lapras," he said "You were great." He took out Lapras's Pokéball and returned it inside as it gave a happy reply. He then took out his binoculars and focused on the nest again.

"I wonder how much longer it'll be before those eggs hatch?" asked Tristan to himself. "I guess it can't be too much longer."

Pikachu wondered in agreement.

A few hours later, Tristan and Pikachu got up quietly and left Ogi Isle by way of the undersea tunnel. The creature had dozed off quite some time ago.

* * *

"Well, well, well," said Veronica as Tristan and Pikachu got back to the Pokémon Center. "Did you two have fun exploring again?"

"We did," answered Tristan.

_(Music Cue: OK! (Piano Ballad))_

"Where did you go?" asked Hillary eagerly.

"Like I said before, sis, I was just exploring," replied Tristan. He wanted to keep the appearance of the mysterious Pokémon on Ogi Isle a secret because he didn't want it to experience any more danger, especially after it nearly lost its eggs to that wild Tentacruel.

_Hmmm,_ thought Hillary. _I have a feeling that Tristan's hiding something._

"Lunch is ready, kids!" called Eric from the kitchen. "It's homemade spaghetti and meat sauce."

"Did you follow the recipe, honey?" asked Veronica.

"Yes, dear," replied Eric. "The kids should enjoy it even more than we do."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all had two helpings of their grandfather's homemade spaghetti because he was right: They enjoyed it even more than he and their grandmother did.

* * *

That evening, Tristan wanted to talk about the mysterious Pokémon he saw with his grandmother, but he wasn't sure how.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Veronica. "You seem concerned."

"Well, I suppose that's possible, but what do you mean, Grandma?" wondered Tristan.

"I mean that there's a secret that you want to talk about, but you feel that it's risky to talk about it," replied Veronica.

"Well, there is," answered Tristan. "But how do you know?"

"Grandmother's intuition, dear," chuckled Veronica. "But I know something's been bothering you, and maybe I can help you if you just tell me the truth."

Tristan knew that keeping secrets from his grandmother wouldn't do him any good, so he reluctantly told her what was happening. "Pikachu and I have been walking back and forth to Ogi Isle through an undersea tunnel, and when we got there the last two times, we saw a mysterious Pokémon."

"Hmmmm," said Veronica. "That's interesting. Do you know what this mysterious Pokémon looked like?"

"It looked like a silver bird," replied Tristan. "It had wings that looked like hands, plus it had blue plates of some kind on its back. It can swim and even fly. I also saw it taking care of two eggs."

"Two eggs?" asked Veronica. "Now that's very interesting."

Tristan then bent his head down low. "I didn't want to say anything before because I wanted to keep it a secret. I didn't want anybody else to follow me to Ogi Isle, but I just wondered if you knew about the Pokémon I saw."

"That's understandable, and I think I know what you're talking about," replied Veronica. "I believe it's a Lugia."

"Lugia?" repeated Tristan.

Veronica nodded. "I've seen a Lugia on my travels many years ago. It's a legendary Pokémon that's said to be able to calm and give rise to storms. I was on a ship when this particular storm happened." And she began her story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Mystical Story (as heard the second time in "A Bout with Sprout"))_

"I was a young Pokémon Trainer just like you are now," she said. "I was sailing in the water on an ocean liner near the Whirl Islands with many friends of mine when suddenly, a huge storm came up. It was so strong that the waves made the waters nearly impossible to navigate. One wave hit the ship full force, causing every one of us to fall into the raging waters below.

"We all struggled to stay afloat in the water as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared. It looked like all was lost when all of a sudden, a whirlpool glowing in a mysterious bright light rose up out of the water. Instantly, the seas were calm and the sun came out again. My friends and I saw a mysterious silvery feather called a Silver Wing fall from the sky."

"A Silver Wing?" asked Tristan.

"Yes," Veronica answered. "But what I saw next amazed me even more. I saw a shadow of this mysterious Pokémon as it dove back into the water. I was amazed by what it had just done, even though everyone else had missed it. Still, it was incredible to see a Silver Wing come from this Pokémon."

* * *

"When your grandfather and I got married, I talked about this Pokémon for what seemed like hours," continued Veronica. "He knew more about the legend better than I did, and he told me that the Pokémon that saved my friends and me that day was a Lugia. Apparently, a similar incident took place when your grandfather's great-great-great-grandfather was just growing up. The silver wings that fall from the heavens have been a reminder of the events that took place in the stormy seas all those many years ago."

* * *

"That's a truly amazing story, Grandma," said Tristan. "I never knew that Lugia could do that. The Lugia was one of the reasons I've been going to Ogi Isle alone with Pikachu, and I thought that was the way it liked it. I was just afraid that if word got out about Lugia and its eggs, people might come and make it nervous."

"I'm sure the others will understand," replied Veronica. "If you want, we can talk to the others about your concerns."

"Thanks, Grandma," said Tristan.

"Hey, everybody, dinner's ready!" called Hillary.

"All right, I can't wait!" said Tristan excitedly as he quickly followed Hillary to the cafeteria.

Veronica was still amazed. "Tristan has so much energy, even after our little chat," she said to herself. "I wonder if he's thinking of another adventure after our vacation is over?" And she followed suit.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

Later, Tristan and Veronica explained what was going on to Eric and Hillary, who completely understood Tristan's concerns.

"So that's what's been going on," said Hillary. "That explains the shadow you saw."

Tristan silently and slowly nodded his head.

"I know that Lugia is a legend not soon forgotten, but I never knew there was one nearby," added Eric.

"I just wanted Lugia to know that it would be safe if I just watched it from a distance," replied Tristan. "I noticed that Lugia was very protective of its eggs, but once it saw that Pikachu and I stopped a Tentacruel from attacking them, it knew that we were its friends, too."

There was a moment of silence, then finally, Veronica spoke. "I know it wasn't easy, Tristan, but you were very brave to talk about it. We'll keep the existence of Lugia and its eggs a secret unless you say otherwise."

"Thanks, guys," said Tristan. "Would you mind if Pikachu and I traveled to Ogi Isle alone first thing tomorrow morning?"

"Sure, Tristan," replied Hillary. "We understand why."

"We're planning to leave for home tomorrow afternoon, anyway," added Veronica. "So you should have an opportunity to see when those eggs hatch if they're almost ready to."

"I'm not sure how close they are, but I think they're pretty close," replied Tristan. "Pikachu and I are very excited about that. Right, pal?"

Pikachu nodded.

"I haven't seen a Lugia in years," said Eric. "It sounds like it will be awesome when those babies hatch."

Everyone continued eating, but seeing Lugia and possibly its new babies was the only thing on Tristan's mind.

* * *

_(Music Cue: All We Wanna Do (instrumental)_

Tristan was the first one to wake up the next morning. He made an effort to quietly crawl out of bed, get dressed, and exit the bedroom without waking anybody else.

Pikachu woke up, yawned, and opened its eyes, just as Tristan quietly opened the door. It saw Tristan, who waited patiently for it and ran quietly to meet him.

Tristan quietly closed the door and he and Pikachu made their way to the kitchen to make breakfast. Tristan made toast with butter for him and Pikachu to share. Then they got themselves some juice to drink. Then they sat down at the table together and ate their breakfast.

* * *

Shortly thereafter, Tristan and Pikachu quietly started out to Ogi Isle. It was still dark, but Tristan knew that if they wanted to see Lugia's babies, they had to do it alone, and that was the way Lugia liked it, considering how fiercely protective it was. "You know, Pikachu," he said. "You and I have been together for a long time. We've met many different kinds of Pokémon already. But I know that there are tons of Pokémon that we haven't even seen yet."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what kind of new Pokémon and Trainers we'll meet in the Johto region," added Tristan. "Remember that Cyndaquil that Evan had? It had an incredible way of using that Flamethrower attack. I'd never seen a Pokémon power a flame on its back at will before until then."

Pikachu agreed again. It knew what Tristan was talking about.

"And Braden's Feraligatr was awesome, too," added Tristan. "It sort of reminds me of Blastoise. They're both big and strong Pokémon. They could almost be friendly rivals."

Pikachu agreed with him and perched itself on Tristan's shoulder.

Tristan smiled. Then he said, "I don't know how to thank you, Pikachu," he said. "I couldn't have made it this far without your help."

Pikachu smiled. It knew what Tristan was going to say next.

"Together, we can take on any challenge," said Tristan. "And soon, we'll be ready to have some new adventures. I think Hillary will want to come along with us."

Pikachu agreed.

"Then it's settled," he said. "As soon as we get back to New Bark Town, we'll get ready for our new journey together."

Pikachu smiled. It was just as excited for a new adventure as Tristan was.

"But now, let's see how close the Lugia's eggs are to hatching," added Tristan. "I'm sure they're close. Seeing the birth of a legendary Pokémon is a special treat."

Tristan and Pikachu then made their way through the undersea tunnel. A moment later, they exited it and entered Ogi Isle. They then quietly sat on the water's edge.

Lugia saw them arrive, but it didn't mind. In fact, it rather liked it.

As they sat down, it didn't take them long to see the eggs start flashing in a bright light.

Tristan quickly took out his binoculars. "It's almost time, Pikachu," he whispered. "I can hardly wait."

Pikachu quietly agreed with him.

Tristan zeroed in on the eggs. The binoculars made the eggs look more pretty.

The eggs kept flashing. Sometimes they stopped flashing, but at other times, the flashing continued.

As it got lighter and lighter, the eggs started flashing more and more frequently.

"It looks like we came at just the right time, Pikachu," whispered Tristan. "Now I know we're going to see the birth of two legendary Pokémon. Now it's just a matter of time before they hatch."

Pikachu quietly agreed excitedly.

The eggs kept flashing more frequently as time passed.

At that moment, the sun came up over the horizon, bathing everything in more light.

Then, Tristan's patience was rewarded, for just as the sun rose up from the horizon, the eggs started to glow. It was time for them to hatch.

Tristan could barely contain his excitement as the eggs glowed and changed shape. He quickly adjusted his binoculars and watched the eggs transform through them. When the eggs finished glowing and hatching, they looked like the big Lugia, but they were much, much smaller.

Tristan focused on the babies through his binoculars. He was awed by the way they looked. "This is so awesome!" he whispered to Pikachu. "So that's what a baby Lugia looks like. They're so cute!"

Pikachu nodded.

The big Lugia, who was now a parent, kept its new babies warm under its huge wing to keep them from freezing in the chilly morning air.

But suddenly, one of the babies, who was more curious than the other was, decided to take a swim in the water. Something had apparently caught its attention, much to the parent Lugia's surprise.

Tristan noticed that the baby was swimming its way toward him. Not only was it a natural at swimming, but it did so very quickly.

When the baby reached Ogi Isle, it walked right up to Tristan and lay at his feet.

Tristan's heart skipped a beat when it did. "Hi, there, little one," he whispered. "My name is Tristan, and this is Pikachu."

The baby lowered its head, but didn't make a sound. Instead, it rubbed against Tristan to show its affection.

Tristan grinned. Then, slowly and carefully, he petted it on the back of its slender neck.

The baby seemed to like it.

The parent Lugia, understandably, got worried. Even though it knew Tristan's good intentions, it felt that the baby should still be with it. So it swam to where Tristan was so it could take it back to its nest.

"Sorry about that," said Tristan as the parent approached him. "Your baby must have come here to say hi to me. It must like me a lot, but I know it loves you. Pikachu and I were just about to leave anyway."

The parent understood and motioned the baby to follow it back to its nest across the water.

The baby felt very sad about leaving Tristan and Pikachu behind.

As soon as the parent Lugia and the baby got back to the other island, the parent thought it might be cold from swimming, so it tucked it in under its wing to keep it warm. In a matter of minutes, both babies disappeared from view.

Tristan and Pikachu left for the undersea tunnel back to Silver Rock Isle. But unbeknownst to them, a strange silver-colored feather had fallen right where the baby Lugia was standing as it glowed in a mysterious white light.

After Tristan and Pikachu got out of the tunnel, they were so excited by the Lugia and the birth of two of its babies that they raced each other over to the Pokémon Center to get ready to catch the afternoon ferry back to Olivine City.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Cold Blood)_

But little did they know of the danger awaiting them on the ferry, for at that moment, a sinister figure who was partially bald with a peach-colored mustache and peach-colored hair had sneaked on board the ferry headed for Olivine City. The ferry wasn't due to leave until that afternoon. He had a sinister scheme going on, and he was apparently looking for something to capture.

The captain was apparently restocking the ferry with supplies and was unaware of the danger also.

Suddenly, the sinister figure came up behind the captain. "So you're the captain," he snickered. "Well, I suppose I'll have to make you swab the deck."

"Hey, you! What are you doing here?!" demanded the captain.

"Who I am is none of your concern," replied the figure. "What matters is that you will play a part of my big plan. So now I'm afraid you will have to be stowed away for now."

All at once, the sinister figure seized, bound, and gagged the captain and stored him in a space just below the ship's deck.

"Perfect," smirked the figure. "It's on to phase two." And he snickered evilly as he put on the captain's uniform and hat. "I know that someone knows about a mysterious Pokémon hanging out on the Whirl Islands somewhere. Everyone knows how powerful that Pokémon is. And soon, it will be all mine. I won't stop until I have that Pokémon's power all to myself!" He then laughed evilly.

* * *

_And so, Tristan discovers the mysterious Pokémon, Lugia, whose two babies just hatched from eggs. But now, a sinister figure has infiltrated onto the ferry headed for Olivine City. Who is that figure? And what does he want? Will Tristan and Hillary be able to avoid the danger? You'll have to find out next time!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. THE RESCUE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 3 of the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. The protagonists are just about to wrap up their vacation. But Professor Namba makes an appearance in this chapter. You remember him from the Lugia saga on _Pokémon: Master Quest_, right? I'm thinking this could be the prequel of the Lugia saga. Please feel free to read and review at your leisure. **

**TEASER: An evil Team Rocket scientist, Professor Namba, has infiltrated the ferry and steers our heroes into a nasty storm. What does he want with Tristan and Hillary? And will they survive the monstrous whirlpools that follow?**

**Chapter 3: THE RESCUE**

_(Music Cue: Cold Blood (as heard in "Pokémon Shipwreck"))_

_Last time, Tristan and Pikachu discovered the incredible secret: the legendary Pokémon, Lugia; and two unhatched eggs. Soon, both eggs hatched, and one of the baby Lugia befriended our young hero almost immediately. But little do our heroes and their grandparents know that danger lurks on the ferry headed for Olivine City, for a sinister figure sneaked on board and stowed the captain away in a secret room. Will our heroes be able to survive the terrible calamity that awaits them?_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard in "Forest Grumps")_

That afternoon, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Veronica, and Eric were all eager to get back home to New Bark Town.

"Come on, everyone, it's time to get on board!" called Veronica as she led Eric, Tristan, and Hillary up the gangplank. "Our car will be waiting for us on the other side of the sea, so once we get there, we can make it back home by road."

Everyone agreed that they all had a great time vacationing on the Whirl Islands, especially Tristan, who couldn't get what he saw the last few days out of his mind.

"I can't wait to get back to New Bark Town," said Tristan excitedly. "I feel that I just have to keep exploring the world and see more new Pokémon!"

"I want to go with you, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Please, may I?"

"Okay," chuckled Tristan. "Maybe we can see more new historic places like the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City."

Veronica and Eric smiled at each other and saw this as no surprise. "We thought as much," they both said as everyone finished walking up the gangplank.

_I sure hope I see that baby Lugia again someday, _thought Tristan. _It certainly was a friendly one._

Soon, the ferry gave a toot, and it soon took off from the harbor in Kisado City and left the Whirl Islands.

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Little did they all know that they were sailing straight into frightful danger, for a sinister man was at the wheel. He had a peach colored mustache and a partially bald head with peach-colored hair on the sides. He had a Captain's hat on his head to mask his identity.

"Heh, heh, heh," he smirked. "These fools don't have a clue. They have no idea of the danger that's in store for them. Ever since Giovanni hired me as Team Rocket's Pokémon expert, I've been thinking of ways to make any and all Trainers cower at my feet using the power of science."

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss Theme)_

The man thought back to when he was first hired by Giovanni not too long before.

* * *

"Giovanni, sir, please allow me to introduce myself," said the man. "My name is Namba. It would be a huge honor for you and all of Team Rocket if you allow me to join."

"First of all, how strong are your battling skills?" asked Giovanni.

"They're extremely strong," answered Namba. "I've been in several battles through my Pokémon career. I've even electrified my opponents using my powerful Electabuzz, plus I've learned to amplify its power using the technology of science."

"So you're a scientist, eh?" smiled Giovanni. "I must say, that's very impressive. If I allow you to join, what invention would you make for the benefit of Team Rocket? I'm sure you have many ideas you can offer."

"I plan to invent a machine I like to call 'Namba's Nasty Pokémon Provoker,' or 'Rage Crown' for short," replied Namba. "This device will amplify the power of any Pokémon through a remotely controlled device, thus giving it much more power than normal through the power of pure rage. And, if successfully tested on a Pokémon, I will be able to control that power!"

"Fascinating," said Giovanni. "You've convinced me. All right, Namba, I hereby hire you as one of Team Rocket's scientists. You are now Professor Namba."

"It's an honor to serve you...master Giovanni," said Professor Namba as he bowed to Giovanni.

"I shall prepare an undersea base for you," said Giovanni. "Now, Professor Namba, go to the Johto region at once. I'm expecting great things and inventions from you."

"Yes, sir!" replied Professor Namba.

* * *

The man, known as Professor Namba smirked evilly to himself. "I've heard rumors that there's a mysterious Pokémon, and I know it's somewhere on the Whirl Islands.

_(Music Cue: The Sign of the Storm)_

"My ultimate plan is to use my invention to increase its power tenfold, and soon, Team Rocket will rule the whole world, and the world will cower at our feet!"

Presently, he saw a storm beginning to form in the sky.

Professor Namba suddenly got an idea. "I'm not gonna stop until I have its power for my own." He then focused his evil eyes on Tristan. "I think I'll use the boy. Perhaps he can tell me where this Pokémon is, but how to make him tell me. Let's see, should I sail into the storm or into the sunshine?" First, he focused on the storm. Then, he focused on the clear and sunny skies behind him. "That's it! I'll sail this ship into that storm and force him to tell me where this Pokémon is. And until he does, I'll just keep sailing into that storm with no possibility of getting out of it!"

Professor Namba turned the steering wheel violently and sailed full speed ahead toward the storm.

Meanwhile, on the deck, everyone felt the ship turn at a 180-degree angle and held on tightly.

In a matter of minutes, the winds started to blow stronger and stronger.

Pikachu sensed something wrong and alerted Tristan.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" he asked.

Pikachu pointed to the sky and urged him to look ahead.

Sure enough, as the ship sailed on, the sky got darker and the sea became rougher.

Veronica was worried, too. "I don't know if the Captain knows about this storm."

"What do we do, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"We stay calm and await any instructions from the Captain," answered Veronica.

Just then, a voice came up over the loudspeaker. It was the disguised Professor Namba. "Attention, all passengers: Please remain calm. There is a storm approaching, but it will clear up in a few minutes. There is no need to evacuate. I repeat: There is no need to evacuate."

Just as he said that, lightning flashed and the thunder cracked. The winds picked up and the waves struck the ship as heavy rain began to fall.

"I think this storm is going to get worse before it gets better!" said Eric, who was now getting very nervous.

"You're right," replied Veronica. "The Captain would never steer us into a storm on purpose."

Just then, the brightest lightning flash yet was followed by the loudest crack of thunder, making everyone on the deck jump.

_(Music Cue: Enter Mewtwo)_

"I think we're the only ones who came onto this ship in the first place," said Hillary. "Do you think this ferry ride is some sort of trap?"

"It's possible," replied Tristan. "And I'm not sure if the Captain is the real Captain." He quickly made a plan. "Grandma and Grandpa, see if you can find anyone who can help us out. Hillary and I will go see whoever it is that's steering the ship."

"Just be careful, kids," advised Veronica. She turned to her husband. "Come on, Eric, let's go get some help." And they split up with the kids for their assignments.

Tristan and Hillary went to see who was at the wheel. But just then, a sinister voice said, "All right, kiddies, that's as far as you go."

Tristan and Hillary stopped dead in their tracks.

"Who are you?!" demanded Tristan.

The disguised Professor Namba stepped out from behind a corner and introduced himself. Then he took off his captain's disguise. "Greetings. My name is Professor Namba, and I'm a scientist for Team Rocket."

"So you're the one who steered us into this storm!" exclaimed Hillary, clenching her fist.

"Guilty as charged," snickered Professor Namba. "But the real reason I steered your ship astray is because I came to get some vital information from you."

"You're not making a lot of sense," fumed Tristan. "What information?"

"I want to know of the whereabouts of a mysterious Pokémon," explained Professor Namba. "This will be easy if you talk, little boy, so do it or else."

* * *

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Meanwhile, below the ship's deck, Veronica and Eric were holding each other's hands as they walked in a very dark room and tried to keep their balance. They weren't having much luck finding anyone to help them.

"This place gives me the creeps," said Eric nervously. "I think someone may be out to get us."

"Now, Eric, we can't start panicking now," advised Veronica. "If we want to get out of this situation in one piece, then we'd better keep looking around. And at times like this, we don't have time to be scared."

Just then they heard a muffled voice. "Get me out of here!"

"What was that?" asked Eric.

"I don't know, but we'd better find out," replied Veronica as she and Eric quickly and carefully made their way to where that sound was coming from.

They opened a door to a closet. Sure enough, there was someone wearing a captain's uniform, and he was bound and gagged.

Veronica and Eric gasped in shock.

"You must be the Captain!" exclaimed Veronica as she and Eric untied him.

"Are you all right, sir?" asked Eric.

"Yes, I am, but there's no time to lose," replied the Captain. "Are there any more passengers on board this ship?"

"Our grandchildren, Tristan and Hillary, are on the ship's deck as we speak," answered Veronica.

"The person who tied me up may have them in his clutches," said the Captain.

"What do we do?" asked Eric.

"We have to help them," replied Veronica. "Let's go."

"Follow me!" said the Captain. "I know a shortcut!" And he led Veronica and Eric to the deck posthaste.

* * *

"There's no use stalling, children," said Professor Namba to Tristan and Hillary as the storm worsened on the deck. "Give me the information I need, and maybe I will go easy on the both of you and get us out of this storm."

"There's no way we'll do that!" replied Tristan.

"We promised to keep it a secret, and that's what we'll do," added Hillary.

"Then you leave me no choice," said Professor Namba as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Go get 'em, Electabuzz!"

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Heartbreak of Brock"))_

A humanoid Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the PokéBall. It had yellow fur and black stripes, one of which resembled a lightning bolt on the front. It also had a long tail. It quickly went in for the attack on Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who narrowly dodged it.

"So that's how you want it?" said Tristan. "Go get it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu ran right in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle.

"Are you nuts?!" exclaimed Hillary. "We can't battle in this storm!"

"But we can't just stand here and do nothing!" protested Tristan.

"If you're through chitchatting, then let's start by having Electabuzz throw a Thunder Punch at you!" shouted Professor Namba.

Electabuzz charged forward and clenched its fist as electricity sizzled through it.

"Pikachu, watch out!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped and easily avoided Electabuzz's attack.

"Pikachu, hit Electabuzz with your Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out of its body toward Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, use Light Screen!" instructed Professor Namba.

Electabuzz put its hands out, and instantly, a clear screen appeared in front of it, blocking Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Now, give that rodent a taste of your Thunder Punch!" shouted Professor Namba.

Electabuzz charged again as electricity sizzled through its clenched fist. It landed a direct hit on Pikachu, causing it to hit the ground.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"That Electabuzz is strong!" gasped Hillary.

"This is your last chance, fools," said Professor Namba. "I heard rumors of a mysterious Pokémon somewhere around here. Now where is it?!" He was clearly losing his patience.

"If you think we're going to tell you about this mysterious Pokémon, you'd better think again, Namba!" countered Tristan.

"Yeah, we'll never tell anything to a creep like you!" added Hillary.

"I gave you plenty of chances to talk, but you've chosen the hard way," said Professor Namba. "Give them your best Thunderbolt, Electabuzz!"

Electabuzz gathered all its electricity in its body and shot a huge stream at Pikachu, Tristan, and Hillary.

"Pikachu, use your Thunder attack at full power now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu concentrated its electricity as it sizzled in its cheeks. Then, using all that it had, Pikachu shot a yellow stream of electricity to block Electabuzz's attack.

The two attacks collided, creating an explosion so big that it sent everyone flying.

Professor Namba and Electabuzz were sent flying in the sky in one direction while Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were sent hurtling in the other direction into the raging sea below.

Veronica, Eric, and the Captain arrived just after the explosion took place.

"I don't see the children. Where are they?" asked Veronica, frantically looking around.

"Look there!" shouted Eric, pointing at the raging water below.

Veronica and the Captain turned to see Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu come up for air further away from the ship as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared close by.

A short distance away, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu noticed the ship moving further and further away from them.

"Oh, no!" cried Hillary. "The ship's going further and further away!"

"Hey, you've got to help us!" shouted Tristan as loud as he could.

"It's no use, Tristan," said Hillary. "The wind's so loud and strong that they can't hear us, and if we don't do something quick, we're-"

_(Music Cue: Cause for Alarm (as heard in "Grin to Win"))_

But the rest of Hillary's speech was interrupted when a big wave caused them to be swept further and further away from the ship.

There was worse to come, for they felt themselves being pulled toward powerful vortices of water.

"Those are whirlpools!" exclaimed Hillary. "We're doomed!"

Veronica, Eric, and the Captain watched in horror.

"This is bad!" said the Captain. "The kids are being dragged toward those whirlpools! If we don't do something fast, they're done for!"

"I'm going in!" declared Veronica as she started to dive in after the kids, but the Captain stopped her.

"No way! Too risky!" he advised. "You don't stand a chance with the waves being as rough as they are!"

"Let me go! I have to get to them right now!" shouted Veronica as she struggled in vain to get out of the Captain's grip to get to Tristan and Hillary.

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were struggling to stay as far away from the whirlpools as possible.

Suddenly, Tristan had an idea. "Maybe Lapras can help." He took out Lapras' Pokéball. "Lapras, go!"

A bright white light shot out of the Pokéball and Lapras emerged from it. It looked like a large, blue plesiosaur with a long neck and a horn on top of its head. It awaited Tristan's orders.

"Get us away from the whirlpools, and hurry!" ordered Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu scrambled onto Lapras's back.

Instantly, Lapras started swimming as fast as its flippers would carry it. But as fast as it swam, they were being dragged into the whirlpools just as easily, and the strong winds and the big waves of water didn't make it any easier.

"It's no use! We're still being pulled toward the whirlpools!" shouted Hillary.

Things got even worse, for just then, another big wave pushed them all back, worsening their chance of escape. They were now just inches away from their doom.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Veronica as she closed her eyes.

But just then, a bright, shining vortex of water emerged from the raging water, shielding Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lapras from the whirlpools. It was also followed by a strange call.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered)_

"What's that sound?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, sis," replied Tristan.

Veronica opened her eyes and saw the mysterious glowing whirlpool. "Something's happening!" she gasped.

"You're right!" agreed the Captain. "It looks like that glowing vortex is somehow protecting the kids and their Pokémon!"

Sure enough, the glowing vortex stopped the current in its tracks, preventing it from pushing Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lapras toward the powerful whirlpools. Then, the most amazing things happened...the storm stopped, the clouds cleared up, the seas calmed down, and the current had started going the other way...away from the whirlpools!

"Somehow the current changed direction!" gasped Tristan. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"But how is that possible?" wondered Hillary.

As the mysterious glowing whirlpool dissipated, a mysterious Pokémon emerged from it.

Tristan recognized it immediately. "It's Lugia!" he cried.

"Perfect timing!" added Hillary.

It was the same one that Tristan and Pikachu had helped earlier.

Veronica and Eric were as awestruck at Lugia as the Captain was.

"The kids are okay!" said Veronica. "That Lugia just saved their lives!"

"What a relief," added Eric. "I thought they were goners."

"So did I," finished the Captain.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lapras kept looking at Lugia as they floated in the current away from the whirlpools; they were most impressed with its power.

"Lugia must have come to help us out," said Tristan.

"It's almost as if it knew that we were in trouble," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with her.

Then Hillary looked up to Lugia. "Thanks so much. You really saved the day."

Lugia nodded as it continued to fly overhead.

Lapras and the children followed Lugia toward the ship.

"Ahoy!" called a voice. "Grab this rope, mateys!"

Tristan and Hillary turned around toward the ship's deck. "It's Grandma!" they cried. Their grandfather and the Captain were with her.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu saw Veronica holding a rope to haul them aboard. They managed to grab it and get back on board the ship.

Veronica was greatly relieved to see them in one piece and embraced them. "I thought I lost you to those whirlpools," said Veronica as she cried tears of happiness. "Oh, thank goodness!"

"We were so worried about you," added Eric. "We all thought you weren't going to make it."

"Well, we're fine now," said Hillary. She turned toward Lugia and said, "Thanks again for saving us, Lugia!"

Lugia nodded as it continued to hover in the sky. Then it flew a short distance from the ship, folded its wings, and dove down into the once more calm sea with a big splash.

Tristan turned his attention to the water below where Lapras was still swimming alongside the ship. "Thanks, Lapras. You were great. You deserve a good rest," he said as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

Lapras transformed into red energy and shot back inside the ball.

Veronica approached Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu and said. "You three are all soaked to the bone, and so are your clothes."

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Sure enough, they and their clothes were dripping wet. They all gave a good chuckle.

"I don't think these clothes will be good enough for your next journey," said Veronica. "I'll tell you what. As soon as we get home, I'll get new clothes for the both of you."

"Thanks a lot, Grandma," replied Hillary. "We're sorry we made you and Grandpa worry."

"Don't worry about it," replied Eric. "This is a journey. And this experience is all part of it."

Then Veronica put her arm on Tristan's shoulder and said, "It looks like you were able to gain Lugia's trust, young man. I'm very proud of you."

"I'm proud of you, too, Tristan," added Eric.

"Thanks a lot, guys," replied Tristan.

"It's not every day you get to see a legendary Pokémon save lives," remarked the Captain.

"I know," added Hillary. "I'm just as glad I got to see it. I hope we see it again."

"So do I, Hillary," said Tristan. "So do I." He then thought to himself. _I knew I shouldn't have told them. But they'd find out sooner or later anyway. I just hope nobody else gets into this kind of trouble because of what happened today._

But then, Tristan and Hillary's backpacks emitted a noise inside. "Uh-oh," they said together.

They opened up the small pockets in their backpacks and saw that water had gotten into them where their PokéGears were.

Sure enough, both PokéGears were dripping wet, and at that moment, had shorted out.

Tristan tried to push a button, but it wouldn't respond. "My PokéGear's busted."

"Mine, too," replied Hillary. "Isn't that the darnedest stroke of bad luck?"

"Well, now what?" asked Tristan.

"Don't worry, kids," Eric assured them. "I'll have them fixed by tomorrow morning."

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. "You'd do that?"

Eric nodded.

"Didn't you know that your grandfather is one of the tech experts in the family?" said Veronica. "He used to work at the Silph Company before he retired. He was able to fix anything that broke. Of course, everyone wishes that he was back at the office these days."

"That's pretty impressive, Grandpa," said Tristan.

"Quality work is a high standard of mine," explained Eric. "If something doesn't work right, I go to the source of the problem and fix it. And since your PokéGears have the same materials as the ones at Silph, I should be able to order new parts and have them shipped overnight tonight."

"Thank you so much, Grandpa," said Hillary.

"That's very nice of you," added Tristan.

And under the command of the real captain, the ferry continued to sail on and on toward Olivine City as the sun began to set.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

Night soon fell, and some time later, Veronica drove everybody back home to New Bark Town.

Everyone was tired from their vacation, and their latest experience with Professor Namba made Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu especially tired.

Veronica took the Winner's Trophy that Tristan won at Pummelo Stadium out of his backpack, polished it, and put it in a safe place in his bedroom. Shortly thereafter, she went right to work making new clothes for Tristan and Hillary.

Eric wasted no time ordering more parts for Tristan and Hillary's damaged PokéGears on the phone.

The order came almost immediately.

Eric was so happy about the speedy delivery that he stayed up half the night to fix Tristan and Hillary's PokéGears.

Hillary was just getting ready to go to sleep when Tristan knocked on the door and came in.

"Can't this wait until morning, Tristan?' grumbled Hillary.

"I need to tell you something," said Tristan.

"Oh, very well," grumbled Hillary. "Make it quick, all right?"

Tristan took a deep breath and sighed.

Hillary now felt concerned for Tristan and sat up.

"I felt like a total loser out there," said Tristan. "What does Professor Namba want with Lugia? I really couldn't win against him."

"But you didn't fail," reminded Hillary.

"Only because Pikachu's Thunder attack and Electabuzz's Thunderbolt sent us all away from the ship, including Professor Namba," sighed Tristan. "Why did he have to pick me as his target, anyway?"

"He picked us," replied Hillary. "He was just attacking us because we knew about the Lugia's location, and apparently, we were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But what really worries me is that if Professor Namba captures Lugia, he'd have enough power to do some major damage," said Tristan. "And besides that, after the two eggs hatched, I made friends with a baby Lugia, or should I say it befriended me. And I couldn't live with myself if it got captured by that madman."

Hillary gasped in surprise. But soon she assured him. "You worry about things too much. The Lugia and its babies are living in a safe location, and there's no point about worrying about the whole thing if we're not there, right?"

"I guess you're right," sighed Tristan.

"Don't let that rattle you too much," said Hillary. "Besides, our journey through the Johto region starts tomorrow. And we should get some sleep."

"All right," replied Tristan. "Good night, sis."

"Good night, Tristan," said Hillary. "Sleep well."

And Hillary lay back down and fell fast asleep as Tristan exited the room.

* * *

_And so, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu have made it safely home to New Bark Town. With their vacation and their first encounter with Professor Namba behind them, our heroes are left wondering what he wanted to do with Lugia. Our heroes' journey through the Johto region begins tomorrow. Be sure not to miss a minute of the action because this adventure is guaranteed to be action-packed!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. A NEW RIVAL APPEARS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 4 of the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. This chapter is based on my first battle against my rival in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. I remember when I picked my first Johto starter, and my sister picked hers. It has a few differences, but I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just the same. Please feel free to read and review.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are about to set off on their new journey through the Johto region, but a new person has made an appearance, and he almost immediately causes trouble in Professor Elm's lab!**

**Chapter 4. A NEW RIVAL APPEARS**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard the first time at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_After a hair-raising vacation in the Whirl Islands, our heroes wake up with the sun at home in New Bark Town, and are feeling well-rested in their brand-new clothes._

Tristan looked in the mirror in his bedroom as the sun rose the next morning. He had on a new light-green t-shirt and light-blue shorts. The base of his new hat was gold while the rest was silver. He had new fingerless gloves that were silver at the base and gold at the wrists. "Well, Pikachu, what do you think?" he asked.

Pikachu admired the new look.

Tristan smiled. "I'm glad you like it, Pikachu. Grandma was certainly kind enough to make new clothes for Hillary and me. I wonder what Hillary's clothes are like. I can't wait to see."

Presently, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," said Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

The door opened and in stepped Hillary in her brand-new clothes. She had on a new light-pink t-shirt and light-blue shorts. She had new pink fingerless gloves and pink tennis shoes. "Well, how do I look?"

"You look great, sis," smiled Tristan.

Pikachu liked Hillary's new look, too.

"I am a little surprised to see that you have mostly pink on," said Tristan.

"What did you expect? Pink is my favorite color," replied Hillary. "Besides, today's the day we start our brand-new journey together."

"Oh, yeah," said Tristan. "I was so carried away by yesterday's crazy events that I had completely forgotten about it."

"Well, what do you say we have some breakfast?" suggested Hillary. "I'll race you to the table."

"You're on," replied Tristan.

* * *

A moment later, Tristan and Pikachu came downstairs from his bedroom to the dining room table. His grandparents, Veronica and Eric, and Hillary were already there, eating.

"I beat ya," said Hillary.

"I know you did," smiled Tristan.

"Good morning, Tristan," said Veronica. "You're looking great."

"Thanks, Grandma," replied Tristan. "These clothes are wonderful. Even Pikachu likes my new look. Right, pal?"

Pikachu nodded.

Veronica's Eevee agreed, too, as it ate its food next to Veronica's feet.

Tristan and Pikachu fixed themselves some toast and juice and sat down with the others to eat their breakfast.

* * *

When everyone had finished eating, Eric brought Tristan and Hillary's PokéGears to them. "Here you are, kids," he said. "Your PokéGears are as good as new."

Tristan and Hillary were very pleased. "Thanks so much, Grandpa."

"You're very welcome," replied Eric.

Veronica came into the room. "Hillary, Professor Elm wants to give you something."

"He does?" asked Hillary. "How come?"

"He's heard of how you became the youngest Pokémon Trainer," explained Veronica. "That's quite an achievement. And he said you can choose from one of three Pokémon at his lab."

"I can? Yahoo!" Hillary quickly ran from the table and raced out the front door at once. "I'm there! Professor Elm, here I come!"

"Wait, Hillary!" called Veronica. She turned to Tristan and handed him two new backpacks. "Here's your new backpack, dear. You take Hillary's, too."

Tristan agreed and he and Pikachu quickly raced after her. "Wait up, sis!"

Veronica felt a little sad. "But I never had the chance to say goodbye to them."

"Don't worry, they'll be back," Eric assured her.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and PIkachu stood at the entrance to a three-story building.

"I guess this is it," said Tristan.

"It has to be," replied Hillary. "It reminds me of Professor Oak's laboratory. Let's go in." And she led the way inside.

Inside, a man with short brown hair and gray eyes was lining three Pokémon up on the table. He had a pair of glasses on. He was wearing a light-blue collared shirt with a white lab coat over it. "Good morning," he said. "One of you must be Hillary, right?"

"Yes, sir, I am," answered Hillary. "This is my older brother, Tristan, and his Pokémon, Pikachu."

"Hi there," said Tristan.

Pikachu greeted the man warmly.

"I'm Professor Elm," said the man. "It's nice to meet you all. Your grandmother has told me a lot about you two. And Hillary, how's your Pokémon training going?"

"It's going well, Professor," answered Hillary. "I caught a Ledyba and an Eevee. And I can't forget about Squirtle."

"That's wonderful," smiled Professor Elm. "I want to give you one of these three Pokémon you see here." And he showed her the three Pokémon.

The first Pokémon was a small, four-legged pale green Pokémon with a darker necklace of buds. It also had a leaf attached to its head.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

"This Pokémon is a Chikorita," explained Professor Elm. "It's a Grass-type Pokémon that can use all sorts of attacks. Plus, its aroma is very sweet."

The second Pokémon resembled a small, blue bipedal crocodile with spikes on its back and tail. It had a V-shaped pattern across its chest, and its face mostly composed of its snout and strong jaws.

"This Pokémon is a Totodile, which is a Water-type Pokémon," said Professor Elm. "It's got very strong teeth, and can chomp down on everything. And believe me, when I say 'everything,' I mean everything."

Totodile opened its mouth with a yawn, and sure enough, there were many strong and sharp teeth.

"That's pretty cool," said Tristan.

The third Pokémon had bluish fur on top of its body while the color of its lower body was milky. It had a long, thin snout, four red holes on its back, and its eyes were closed.

"And this Pokémon is a Cyndaquil," said Professor Elm. "This Fire-type Pokémon has an incredible way of igniting the flame on its back, especially when it's battling."

"I remember seeing a Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "My younger brother Evan has one with him."

"Ah, so he's your brother, right?" said Professor Elm.

"Yeah, we recently got together with Evan and Braden in Kanto, and we helped foil a Team Rocket scheme together," replied Hillary.

"That's so great that all four of you were able to get together," smiled Professor Elm.

Presently, Cyndaquil hopped off the table and rubbed itself against Hillary's leg to show its affection.

"Well, this one sure seems friendly," remarked Hillary.

"Well, it looks like your choice is pretty clear to me," smiled Professor Elm.

Hillary gently picked up Cyndaquil and put it at eye level. "Do you want to come with me, Cyndaquil?"

"Cyndaquil!" nodded Cyndaquil.

"That's great, Hillary," said Tristan. "You have another new Pokémon."

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Hillary.

Professor Elm handed Cyndaquil's Pokéball to Hillary. Then he handed Tristan and Hillary two red high-tech devices. "These are your new Pokédexes. They'll help you learn about all the Pokémon you encounter in the Johto region."

"Thank you so much, Professor Elm," said Tristan and Hillary together.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary had just gotten back outside when they noticed someone with red hair staring inside one of the lab windows. He was lurking about, thinking about doing something.

"He doesn't look too friendly," whispered Tristan.

"I agree, Tristan, let's see what he's up to," replied Hillary. And she and Tristan quietly made their way over to him.

"So this is the famous laboratory owned by Professor Elm," he said. He then turned to see Tristan and Hillary looking directly at him. "What do _you_ want?"

"We want to know what you're doing here at Professor Elm's laboratory," said Hillary as she approached him.

"That's none of your business," he said sternly. And he rudely pushed Hillary backward onto the ground.

Tristan quickly rushed over to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," replied Hillary. "What a creep."

Creep was right, for he was creeping away from them and out of sight.

"I ought to teach him a lesson or two," grumbled Hillary.

"Never mind him," replied Tristan. "Let's go back home and show Grandma and Grandpa your new Cyndaquil."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "That creep will never know about friendship and trust like we do." And she, Tristan, and Pikachu raced home.

* * *

Back inside, Professor Elm was getting ready to give Chikorita and Totodile their morning snack. He had set their Pokéballs down and was just getting inside the kitchen when he heard a noise on one of the windows. He quickly came to investigate.

_(Music Cue: Rival's Theme (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

Professor Elm saw the red-haired person repeatedly attempting to smash a rock against a window. "What does that kid think he's doing?" he asked in alarm.

Just as he said that, the red-hair person smashed his rock through the window, breaking the glass into pieces, and made his appearance inside the laboratory.

"Who are you? What do you want?" demanded Professor Elm.

"I came to for some Pokémon to take along with me on my journey," answered the boy.

"But you can't do that because you're not a Trainer," protested Professor Elm.

"Oh, I'm not, am I?" said the red-haired person. "Well, what do you call this?" And he snatched Totodile and Chikorita's PokéBalls and aimed the buttons at them. "You're both mine!" And Totodile was returned to its Pokéball before it knew what was happening.

But before Chikorita could be captured, it scurried out of sight under the table, as it was so terrified by Totodile's capture.

The boy put down Chikorita's PokéBall and dashed out of the laboratory as fast as he could.

"No! Come back!" cried Professor Elm. Then he yelled, "TOTODILE!" His yell was so loud it could be heard for miles around.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at home, Hillary was showing her grandparents her new Cyndaquil.

"That Cyndaquil is just so cute," said Veronica.

"I bet it's tickled to be with you," said Eric. "Cootchie-cootchie coo!" And he tickled Cyndaquil on the tummy.

Cyndaquil laughed. It liked the way that it was being tickled.

"Tickled is right," chuckled Tristan.

"I can't wait to start training it," said Hillary.

But just as Hillary said that, Tristan's PokéGear rang inside his new backpack.

"Now who could that be?" asked Tristan as he pushed the button on his PokéGear. "Hello, this is Tristan."

"H-Hello? Tristan? Is that you? We have a disaster here!"

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

It was Professor Elm, and his voice was all panicky.

"What's going on, Professor Elm?" asked Tristan.

"Uh, um, it's just terrible!" cried Professor Elm. "W-what should I do?"

The voice of a Chikorita could also be heard, and it was trembling with fright.

"Professor Elm, can you hear me?" asked Tristan. "What's going on? Is everything okay in there?"

"Something's not right," said Hillary. "It sounds like trouble has struck Professor Elm like a chord."

Sure enough, inside the lab, Chikorita, feeling really scared, was nervously backing away from Professor Elm as he tried to approach it.

"Oh, no," said Professor Elm. "It'll be okay, Chikorita. Tristan, p-please get back here now! And b-bring Hillary with you! Please hurry!" And he hung up, and the PokéGear's screen turned off.

"Well, that sure doesn't sound good," said Eric.

"What's going on, dear?" asked Veronica.

"Professor Elm's in trouble, and he needs help," replied Tristan. "We have to get back to his lab right now."

"We'll take you there ourselves," said Veronica. "Quick, get in the car."

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

Everyone quickly got outside the house and into the car.

Veronica started up the engine and with the tires squealing, the car sped off as fast as it could go.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," said Tristan to himself.

As they got close to the lab, the red-haired person suddenly shot out in front of the car!

"Grandma, watch out!" cried Tristan and Hillary.

Veronica put both feet on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt.

Veronica rolled her window down. "What do you think you're doing, young man?" she asked sternly. "You ought to know better than to play in the middle of the road like that! Do you want to hurt yourself?"

"Relax, lady, I just wanted to show everybody the sweet prize I won at the lab," the boy smirked. He took out a Pokéball.

The Pokéball opened, and a Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Thanks to the boy's ownership, it was as mean as he was.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"That's the Totodile from Professor Elm's lab!" said Tristan.

"So _he's _the one who caused the commotion there," added Hillary. She got out of the car and faced the boy. "Who do you think you are showing off a Pokémon like that, much less Professor Elm's Pokémon?"

"It's _my _Pokémon," said the boy.

"Not for long, it's not," said Hillary. "I challenge you to a battle, and if I win, you will return Totodile to Professor Elm!"

Tristan was taken aback by Hillary's sudden action. _Whoa, I sure hope she knows what she's doing,_ he thought._ There's no telling how strong that Totodile is, especially with those teeth._

"Fine then, but if I win, the Totodile stays with me," replied the boy. "Now choose your Pokémon and let's fight one-on one."

"I choose Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary as she threw a Pokéball.

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, you got a Pokémon at the lab, too, huh?" smirked the boy. "What a waste. A wimp like you."

"We'll see who's a wimp when this is over," said Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"Let's begin now," said the boy. "Totodile, charge in and use Scratch attack!"

Totodile charged forward and proceeded to scratch Cyndaquil with its short, but sharp claws.

"Quick, Cyndaquil, get out of the way!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil jumped back and dodged Totodile's Scratch attack.

"Don't back down, Totodile, do it again!" commanded the boy.

Totodile charged at Cyndaquil once again. But every time, Cyndaquil managed to dodge all of Totodile's Scratch attacks.

"Cyndaquil, use Tackle attack!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil charged at Totodile full-body style and hit it head on.

"Not bad for a beginner," smirked the boy. "But let's see how you like this next move: Totodile, use Leer!"

Totodile's eyes glowed red and it glared at Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil shook with fear.

"Cyndaquil, what's wrong?" asked Hillary.

"Quite intimidating, isn't it?" smirked the boy. "Totodile, give it a taste of your Bite attack!"

Totodile quickly ran toward Cyndaquil and used its sharp teeth to bite it hard.

Cyndaquil cried out in pain.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"Not good," said Veronica with concern. "Using a Leer attack followed by Bite really shows what that Totodile is capable of."

"Come on, Cyndaquil, you can do it!" encouraged Tristan.

"Pika Pika!" added Pikachu.

"There has to be some way to stop that Totodile," said Hillary. "Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!"

Cyndaquil shot a thick, gray cloud of smoke from its mouth.

Totodile, unable to see anything, released Cyndaquil from its jaws.

Cyndaqil jumped back and awaited Hillary's next order.

"All right, now give it a Quick Attack!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot forward with a white line trailing behind it and rammed into Totodile.

The boy was starting to lose patience. "Come on, Totodile, use Bite attack!"

Totodile lunged forward and proceeded to attack with its strong teeth.

"Use all the firepower you've got, Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary.

A large flame ignited and shot out from Cyndaquil's four holes on its back. Then, to everyone's shock, using all the firepower it had, it shot a powerful red-orange stream of fire at Totodile, scoring a direct hit on it.

"That's a powerful Flamethrower!" remarked Veronica.

Sure enough, Flamethrower caused Totodile to have many scorch marks on its body, and it collapsed in a heap. It had been knocked out.

"Cyndaquil did it!" said Tristan excitedly.

"That Cyndaquil's quite strong for a little Pokémon," remarked Eric.

The red-haired boy returned Totodile to its Pokéball. "Hmph. Are you happy you won?"

"Now give back the Totodile like you promised," demanded Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

The boy took one look at Hillary and said, "No."

"We had a deal!" insisted Hillary. "Who are you, anyway?"

The boy smirked at Hillary, then he said, "My name is Silver. I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer." And he darted off.

"Hey, you get back here!" yelled Hillary.

"Forget about him, Hillary," said Tristan. "We have more important things to do."

"Yes," agreed Veronica. "Let's get to that laboratory." And she led everyone inside the car, started up the engine, stepped on the gas, and it sped away.

* * *

When everyone got to the lab, they wasted no time in entering.

"Professor Elm!" said Tristan as he and the others rushed in. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, Tristan, thank goodness you and Hillary showed up," said Professor Elm. "A red-haired boy came in here and stole Totodile."

"We saw him, all right," replied Tristan. "His name was Silver."

"And I battled him," added Hillary.

"What?!" gasped Professor Elm. "You saw him?"

"I tried to get Totodile back for you, but I failed," said Hillary. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about that," replied Professor Elm. "I can always get another one. But I have bigger problems. What's worse is that this burglary scared Chikorita half out of its wits!"

Sure enough, Chikorita was seen hiding under the table. It was trembling with fright.

"I can't even get it to come out of hiding," added Professor Elm.

"What caused this to happen, Professor?" asked Tristan.

"I think this has to do with how Totodile was stolen," replied Professor Elm. "Silver just grabbed the PokéBalls, returned Totodile in one of them, and almost captured Chikorita. Then he ran away before I could stop him."

Veronica felt sad. "Poor thing. No wonder it's feeling so scared."

"Maybe I can talk to it," said Hillary. She crawled under the table to try and talk to Chikorita. "Hello, Chikorita. We want to be your friends."

But Chikorita only glared at her.

"I don't think it wants to be friends with me," said Hillary as she crawled out from under the table.

"Tristan, Why don't you give it a try?" suggested Veronica.

"Okay," replied Tristan. He then got on his hands and knees and crawled under the table and tried to extend his right hand towards it. "Please come on out, Chikorita. We won't hurt you."

But Chikorita waved the leaf on its head and slapped Tristan's hand with it.

"Ow!" grunted Tristan. "Hey, that really hurt!"

Everyone rushed to Tristan.

"Are you okay, grand-sonny?" asked Eric.

"I'm fine," replied Tristan as he crawled out from under the table. "But I'm afraid that Chikorita may have become aggressive towards all humans because of Silver."

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 1998 (The Start of the Counterattack))_

Everyone was surprised at Tristan's statement.

"Could it really be true, Tristan?" asked Professor Elm.

"I don't know if it is, but none of us have been able to calm Chikorita down, let alone talk to it," said Tristan. "There has to be a way to get through to Chikorita, and I won't stop until I find it."

A still-trembling Chikorita continued to glare at everyone present, as if it were lying in wait to attack.

* * *

_Having met a new Trainer named Silver, and after experiencing his bitter personality, our heroes have returned to Professor Elm's lab to discover that Chikorita is now full of hatred and mistrust towards all humans. What will our heroes do to coax it? This part of the journey has only just begun!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	5. THE SWEET SCENT OF SUCCESS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 5 of the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. There are a few things I want to point out. Perhaps you'll recall the Fearow and the Spearow flock from the anime? You know, the same Fearow that Ash encountered at the very start of his journey. Unfortunately, they make an appearance in this chapter because to Fearow, Tristan resembles Ash in some ways, but not in others. I've also added the song, "Pokémon Johto" as a music cue towards the end of this chapter. This is the opening theme for the third season of Pokémon, aka _Pokémon: The Johto Journeys._ This song was composed by John Loeffler and John Siegler, and the performer is the music group called Johto. The lead singer is PJ Lequerica. No, I don't own the music or the franchise whatsoever. Pokémon, Pikachu, and other known Pokémon names are treademarks of Nintendo. Please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After the horrible incident at Professor Elm's lab, Chikorita distrusts all humans. But after a Fearow and a flock of Spearow attack, it's up to Chikorita, Tristan, and his Pokémon to work together and save the day!**

**Chapter 5: THE SWEET SCENT OF SUCCESS**

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

_Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were ready to begin their journey through the Johto region as they stopped at Professor Elm's laboratory because he knew of her good talent as the youngest Pokémon Trainer. Hillary chose Cyndaquil, or rather it chose her. _

_While our heroes raced home to show their grandparents Hillary's new Cyndaquil, a young boy named Silver broke into the lab and abruptly stole Totodile in the process._

_On the way back to the lab, our heroes discovered the Totodile that Silver stole, and Hillary challenged him to a battle to avenge the heinous act he had committed._

_Despite the type disadvantage, Hillary won the battle thanks to Cyndaquil's powerful Flamethrower attack._

_Unfortunately, when they got back to the lab, they learned that Chikorita was completely terrified of the outside world with zero trust in humans._

_Now, our heroes are left wondering what to do about Chikorita's bad temper. Will they be able to find a way to calm it down and free it from its fear of humans?_

* * *

Chikorita was still trembling with fright after the horrible incident it had just witnessed,

"Poor Chikorita," said Hillary sadly. "Now it's afraid of all humans because of what Silver did."

"It's all my fault this happened," replied Professor Elm. "I should've been able to stop him, but I didn't have the skills like you do. I'm just a Professor, and nothing more."

"You're being too hard on yourself, Professor," said Veronica. "If I know our grandchildren, they'll do whatever it takes to make things right. Right?"

"Right," agreed Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu agreed, too.

"I think we should get this place back in order," suggested Eric. "Maybe Chikorita will feel more at ease when it's all cleaned up."

"Great idea, Grandpa," replied Tristan. "Let's get to work."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

A short time later, everyone started cleaning up the mess that had been made earlier that morning.

Eric swept up the broken glass while Veronica held a dustpan.

Hillary helped pick up all the loose papers and put it all near Professor Elm's computer. It was all unread research, and she knew that Professor Elm would get to it sooner or later.

Tristan's Venusaur used its Vine Whip to haul Professor Elm up to help him carry a board to where the glass was.

Tristan was on the outside on top of Charizard as he helped nail the board in place from the other side.

After the window was boarded up, everyone used brooms and dustpans to sweep and clean up the dust.

Of course, it was still tricky with Chikorita still under the table and refusing to budge.

Next, Veronica used a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the remaining dust on the floor.

Sure enough, the mess had been cleaned up, and the lab returned to the way it was before Silver came.

"Well done, everyone," said Professor Elm. "All of you worked super hard today."

"It was our pleasure, Professor Elm," replied Veronica. "I'm used to doing this every day back at home."

"But we still don't know what to do about Chikorita," said Hillary.

Sure enough, Chikorita was in the exact same spot hiding under the table.

"Yes, this is quite strange," said Professor Elm.

"I have an idea," suggested Veronica. "Let's all come to the house and have a big lunch party. Think of it as a bon voyage before our grandchildren set off on their brand new adventure."

"Great idea, dear," replied Eric. "You always make something really good."

"Well, I try, dear," said Veronica.

Tristan thought about it, but then said, "I think I'll stay here with Chikorita."

Veronica was a little surprised. "You're not hungry?"

Tristan shook his head. "I can't just leave Chikorita alone and do nothing. Besides, I think it can learn that that there are people that can be trusted in this world. I'll join you guys a little later."

Veronica understood. "Okay, you've convinced me." She turned to the others. "Come on, everyone! Let's go to my place!"

"All right, I'm starving!" said Hillary as she, Eric, Veronica, Pikachu, and Professor Elm left the lab and headed for the house.

Tristan waved to them as they left. Then he crawled under the table where Chikorita was still trembling. "I bet you're scared of the outside world, aren't you, Chikorita?"

Chikorita slowly nodded.

"Is it because of the way Silver took Totodile away?"

Chikorita nodded again.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not like that guy at all," said Tristan. "I care about all Pokémon and people. And I would like to be your friend if you'll let me."

Chikorita slowly moved forward, but then it stepped back.

"It's all right, Chikorita," said Tristan. "Take all the time you need. I know!" He took off his backpack, opened it, and dug out some Pokémon food. "I bet you're hungry. Try this. A good friend gave me instructions on how to make good Pokémon food some time ago. It's quite tasty."

Chikorita saw the Pokémon food Tristan had dug out. Closer and closer it slowly came, and then it ate a piece. Chikorita seemed to like it.

Tristan smiled. His plan was working.

Chikorita came closer and closer to him, until...out it came from under the table.

"That's great, Chikorita," said Tristan. "I knew you could do it."

Chikorita was confused. Then it leaped into Tristan's arms.

"I want to show you something, Chikorita," said Tristan. "Do you want to come outside with me?"

Chikorita was puzzled, but it agreed to go outside with Tristan.

* * *

Outside, Tristan showed Chikorita the wonderful weather near the surrounding forests.

The sun was shining and the breeze was light and warm.

Chikorita seemed to like it.

"Do you like being outside, Chikorita?" asked Tristan.

Chikorita nodded. It then jumped out of Tristan's arms and lay itself down on the grass in the sun.

"I wonder why Chikorita loves the sunshine so much," said Tristan. He was full of curiosity. Then he remembered the new Pokédex that he just got. He took it out and scanned Chikorita with it.

The Pokédex had the same voice that his last Pokédex had. _"Chikorita, the Leaf Pokémon. Chikorita emit pleasant aromas from the leaves on their heads, and they love to sunbathe."_

"So that's what it's doing," said Tristan. He then lay himself down next to Chikorita. "You love this warm sunshine, don't you?"

Chikorita slowly nodded. It looked much more relaxed.

"You see?" said Tristan. "Just lying here doing nothing feels great!"

Just then, multiple angry squawks were heard just overhead.

Tristan and Chikorita immediately sat up and looked up.

_(Music Cue: Cause for Alarm (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))_

A flock of small avian Pokémon with brown plumage and pinkish red feathers began to descend down on them.

"It's a flock of Spearow!" cried Tristan. "Run for it!"

Sure enough, that's what it was, and they began their attack, diving down quickly on Tristan and Chikorita as they ran as fast as they could.

"Duck!" shouted Tristan. He and Chikorita quickly got down to avoid them just in time. "Phew! That was a close one."

But just then, the Spearow made a 180-degree turn and flew at them in the opposite direction.

"Look out! Here they come again!" cried Tristan.

Sure enough, the Spearow flew down on them again.

Tristan managed to get out of the way, but unfortunately, Chikorita wasn't so lucky.

"Chikorita? Chikorita, where are you?" called Tristan as he frantically searched for it in the flock of Spearow.

Chikorita gave a frantic cry for help.

To his horror, he found Chikorita being pecked mercilessly by the Spearow flock.

"Hey, you! Leave my Chikorita alone!" demanded Tristan as he tried to push them away despite the sharp beaks and talons. Eventually, he reached Chikorita and held it tightly in his arms. "Don't worry, Chikorita, I've got you."

Chikorita felt a sense of relief as its eyes teared up.

Just then, an even angrier squawk was heard from above.

Tristan looked up to see a large brown avian Pokémon with a huge beak closing in on him and Chikorita. "That's a Fearow!" he cried.

True enough, it had apparently chosen Tristan as its target. To Fearow, he looked like another Trainer that it first met quite some time ago.

"Hurry, we'd better make a run for it!" And he started to run with Chikorita still in hand.

But unfortunately, Fearow was too fast for them and closed in on them.

Tristan quickly got down low on the ground with Chikorita still wrapped tightly in his arms.

Unfortunately, Fearow used its talons to grab him and carried him high into the sky with the Spearow right behind it.

Tristan let out a yell as he was carried off. He then looked at Chikorita, who was now terrified again. "Don't worry, Chikorita, I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise."

When Chikorita heard the word 'promise,' it felt a great sense of relief and remembered how Tristan went so far to befriend it. It then leaped out of his arms, onto his head, and finally came to rest on Fearow's back, surprising it.

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001)_

It then released a pink powder from the leaf on its head, affecting both Fearow and its flock of Spearow to the point where they all relaxed.

"Wow, that's a sweet scent," remarked Tristan.

Sure enough, that's what it was, for Chikorita had used Sweet Scent to quell the attitudes of both Fearow and its flock of Spearow.

Fearow's grip on Tristan slackened until finally, it released him.

Tristan let out a yell as he fell.

Chikorita gasped in horror as it shot two green vines to catch Tristan just in time.

Tristan breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Chikorita, great save," he said. He then threw two Pokéballs and shouted, "Charizard, Pidgeot, I choose you!"

Charizard and Pidgeot emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

Charizard quickly flew to Tristan as Chikorita gently deposited him on its back.

Tristan looked up to Chikorita, who was still on Fearow's back. "Chikorita, quick, jump on!"

Chikorita leaped off of Fearow's back and landed in Tristan's arms.

"That's great, Chikorita," said Tristan. "Now let's get those guys."

Chikorita eagerly nodded in agreement.

"Go, Pidgeot, hit 'em with your Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeot flew toward Fearow and the Spearow with a white line trailing behind it, scoring clean hits on all of them.

"Charizard, finish 'em with Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a long powerful flame from its mouth at Fearow and the Spearow, scoring a hot hit on them that seemed to last forever.

At the house, Veronica was the first to notice the fiery spectacle outside the window. Little did she know that it was Charizard's Flamethrower that caused it to happen. "Hey, everyone, check this out!"

Everyone came to the window and looked out. Sure enough, they saw the long and powerful stream of fire in the sky.

"Tristan sure is missing a great fire show out there," said Hillary.

Back where Tristan was, Fearow and the Spearow frantically flew around in circles thanks to Charizard's fiery blast, and soon, they all beat a hasty retreat.

"We did it!" cried Tristan excitedly.

Chikorita shared in the excitement as Charizard and Pidgeot gave cries of triumph over their foes.

Tristan turned to Chikorita. "This wouldn't have been possible without you, Chikorita," he said. "I'm very grateful to have a friend like you."

Chikorita agreed.

"Let's all head back to the house," suggested Tristan.

Charizard and Pidgeot nodded.

Tristan then turned to Chikorita. "Do you want to meet my friends, Chikorita? They're very nice."

Chikorita thought about it. Then at last, it nodded.

"All right!" said Tristan. "Let's go!"

Charizard gave an affirmative roar as it began flying toward the house with Pidgeot squawking in agreement and flying close behind it.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the house, everyone was waiting for Tristan to return. Presently, they heard a loud roar from the sky.

"Look, there he is!" said Hillary as she and Pikachu looked up and saw Charizard and Pidgeot flying toward them.

Tristan was riding on Charizard, and he had Chikorita with him. "Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late!"

"Chiko!" added Chikorita.

"How about that!" smiled Professor Elm. "Looks like Tristan and Chikorita became friends after all."

"That's our grandson, right, dear?" said Veronica.

"You said it," agreed Eric.

Charizard landed on the ground, and Tristan and Chikorita dismounted.

Pidgeot landed right next to them.

_(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Pikachu happily ran to greet Tristan and jumped on his shoulder.

"Hey, pal!" said Tristan. He was just as happy to see Pikachu as it was to see him.

Chikorita was confused.

"Chikorita, this is Pikachu, my best friend," explained Tristan. "Pikachu is the very first Pokémon I started out with right when I started my journey."

Chikorita smiled and greeted Pikachu warmly.

Pikachu did the same for Chikorita.

"This is my sister, Hillary," continued Tristan. "And these are my grandparents."

"Hi, Chikorita," said Hillary.

"It's nice to meet you," put in Veronica.

"How do you do?" finished Eric.

Chikorita smiled. It had never been so happy to meet new friendly people in its life.

Then everyone smelled the sweet aroma that Chikorita emitted and relaxed.

"I guess this must be how Chikorita relaxes and makes new friends, right?" said Hillary. She was a little puzzled.

"I think so," replied Tristan. "Well, everybody, let's eat!"

Everyone agreed, including Chikorita, who happily jumped onto Tristan's other shoulder.

Professor Elm came to Tristan. "You know, maybe this Chikorita might be happiest going along with you. It could use a great Trainer like you to show it the world all around it."

Tristan then turned to Chikorita. "Is that true, Chikorita? Do you want to come along with me?"

Chikorita smiled and happily accepted the offer.

Tristan was now full of delight and proclaimed, "I got a Chikorita!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikcahu.

"Chiko!" finished Chikorita.

Tristan suddenly remembered. "But I already have six Pokémon. How do I choose which one to leave behind?"

"I have an idea," suggested Professor Elm. "Why don't you send Professor Oak your Pidgeot and Lapras. He's always been wanting to research how Lapras behave. And besides, Professor Oak has a big lake that Lapras can swim around in. And Pidgeot can patrol the lab on its rounds in the sky."

"Okay," agreed Tristan. "I'm sure both of them will be happy to see Professor Oak.

Pidgeot seemed to agree.

"Then it's decided," said Professor Elm. "And while we're there, you can sign up for the Johto League."

"All right then," said Tristan. "Let's eat!"

"Yeah!" everyone else said excitedly.

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Johto)_

Everyone had a great lunch, and afterwards, Tristan, Hillary, their grandparents, Pikachu, and Professor Elm made their way to the Pokémon Center.

_Everybody wants to be a Master  
__Everybody wants to show their skills  
__Everybody wants to get there faster  
__Make their way to the top of the hill_

_Each time you try, gonna get just a little bit better  
Each step you climb is one more step up the ladder_

_It's a whole new world we live in (Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)  
It's a while new way to see (Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)  
It's a whole new place with a brand new attitude  
But you still gotta catch 'em all and be the best that you can be_

_(Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do; Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)  
Pokémon Johto!  
(Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do; Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)_

_(instrumental continues)_

* * *

At the Pokémon Center, Tristan and his friends came to the front desk.

Nurse Joy greeted them all warmly. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center," she said.

"My name's Tristan from New Bark Town," said Tristan. "I'd like to sign up to participate in the Johto League."

"Ah, a local Trainer," smiled Nurse Joy.

Tristan handed Nurse Joy his Pokédex and pushed it into a slot inside a machine.

Tristan's picture came up on the machine, and the word 'OK' flashed onto the screen.

"Congratulations, Tristan," smiled Nurse Joy. "You're now fully qualified to participate in the Johto League."

"Great, thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

"How many badges does Tristan need to win in this League?" asked Hillary.

"The magic number is eight," answered Nurse Joy. "Once Tristan earns eight badges, he's be able to participate in the Johto League tournament."

"All right, I can't wait!" said Tristan excitedly.

A moment later, Tristan came to the video phone and called Professor Oak.

The video screen turned on, and Professor Oak's face appeared. "Ah, hello, Tristan," he said. "Looks like a big party here. How are things going?"

"Great, Professor Oak," replied Tristan. "I even got a Chikorita to take along with me."

"That's wonderful news," said Professor Oak. "But keep in mind, you already have six Pokémon, so you'll have to send at least one of them to me first."

"I'm going to send Pidgeot and Lapras to you," said Tristan.

"Excellent choices," smiled Professor Oak. "Put your Pokéballs with Pidgeot and Lapras in them, one at a time, on the transporter next to the screen. Then push the button to transport."

"Got it," replied Tristan. He took out Pidgeot and Lapras's Pokéballs and held them close. "Bye, guys. Thanks for helping me get this far. I'll see you real soon." He put Pidgeot's Pokéball on the transporter first and pushed the button.

_But you still gotta catch 'em all and be the best that you can be  
__(Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)  
Pokémon Johto!  
(Do-Do-Do, Do, Do-Do)  
Yeah!_

A surge of white light surrounded the Pokéball. Seconds later, it disappeared, taking the Pokéball with it.

Next, Tristan put Lapras's Pokéball on the transporter and pushed the button.

The same thing happened with it, and it disappeared.

Professor Oak showed the two Pokéballs on the screen to Tristan. "Your Pidgeot and Larpas made it here safely."

"That's great, thanks, Professor," replied Tristan.

"I wish you success on your new journey," said Professor Oak. "Keep in touch every now and then, okay?"

"We will," smiled Tristan.

Pikachu and Chikorita waved to Professor Oak just before the video screen turned off.

_(repeat chorus)_

* * *

Outside the Pokémon Center, Veronica and Eric gave Tristan and Hillary big hugs as they said their goodbyes.

"Bye, Grandma. Bye, Grandpa," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Goodbye, kids," replied Veronica. "Take care of each other."

"And Pikachu and Chikorita, take good care of them, too," added Eric.

Pikachu and Chikorita gave happy replies.

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Chikorita waved goodbye to Veronica, Eric, and Professor Elm, who all waved back until they were out of sight.

* * *

_And so, Tristan adds Chikorita to his ever-growing family of Pokémon. And now, this part of Tristan and Hillary's story has finally begun. What new Pokémon will they discover? And what new people will they meet? Stay tuned for more of this action-packed adventure!_

_(Pokémon Johto!)_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	6. A WHOLE NEW WORLD

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 6 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they begin their journey through the Johto region. Woodruff, from "A Sappy Ending" makes a brief appearance in this chapter. Youngsters Joey and Mikey from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games also appear. Now this chapter will be a tad shorter than most, but there will be slightly longer chapters as well. Please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu pass through a forest and meet two Youngsters, who stay close to home, and after battling each other, end up challenging them.**

**Chapter 6. A WHOLE NEW WORLD**

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

_After leaving the comforts of New Bark Town behind them, our heroes' new journey through the Johto region has officially begun. Right now, they're doing some sightseeing on the way to their first destination._

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were walking in a forest on a beautiful sunny morning.

"This is wonderful weather," said Tristan. "I wish it could be like this forever."

"Well, if it were sunny all the time, we wouldn't get our rain," replied Hillary. "And with no rain, there's no water."

"That's a good point," said Tristan. "Do you know where my first Gym Battle is?"

"Unfortunately, I don't," replied Hillary. "But maybe the PokéGears do."

Tristan had forgotten that he could use his PokéGear's map function to look up his destinations. He quickly took it out of his backpack and pushed the button on it.

Instantly, the screen turned on, and an image of a map appeared.

"Hmm," said Tristan. "The closest big city is Cherrygrove City, however, my first Gym Battle is further away in Violet City."

"Well, Violet City is where we'll be going," smiled Hillary. "But why don't we do some exploring in Cherrygrove City first?"

"Okay then," agreed Tristan.

They walked on and on until they saw a beetle-like Pokémon covered in a blue exoskeleton fly over their heads. It had a long pronged horn on its forehead.

"Cool, what's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his new Pokédex.

_(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity (Johto))_

_"Heracross: The Single Horn Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Though gentle and docile, Heracross possesses great strength and power. Their favorite food is the rich sap of leafy trees."_

Just then Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu saw a flock of Butterfree flying over their heads.

"Those Butterfree are flying along beautifully, aren't they?" said Tristan.

"Yeah, and it looks like they're headed for the same place as that Heracross is going," added Hillary.

"Let's go check it out," said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced off to where the Butterfree were flying.

* * *

Deeper into the forest they ran until they saw multiple Heracross on a nearby tree.

"Look at all the Heracross," remarked Hillary. "There has to be at least 50 of them!"

"I wonder what they're doing with that tree," said Tristan.

"I can tell you," said a voice. A man in orange gear and a hat came out to meet Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. He had a beard. "Those Heracross are using their strong teeth to consume the rich sap that are in those trees."

"Who are you?" asked Hillary.

The man introduced himself. "My name's Woodruff. I'm the ranger of this forest. Actually, I'm a ranger of the Forest and Wildlife Bureau."

"My name's Tristan, and this is Pikachu," said Tristan.

Pikachu greeted Woodruff.

"I'm his sister, Hillary," added Hillary.

"It's nice to meet you all," smiled Woodruff.

"Do the Heracross like the sap here?" asked Hillary.

"Yes, they do," answered Woodruff. "They love it so much it makes them go nuts."

"We saw some Butterfree flying deeper into this forest," said Tristan. "What do they have to do with it?"

"The Butterfree aren't strong enough to get into the tree's sap by themselves," explained Woodruff. "They rely on Heracross's strong teeth to open up little holes in those trees. Then, once they're done, the Butterfree can consume all the sap they need."

"So Heracross feeds on the sap while the Butterfree consume the leftovers, right?" said Tristan.

"That's right," replied Woodruff. "Both Pokémon exist in symbiosis. They help ensure the balance of nature in this forest."

"That's pretty cool," said Hillary. "No wonder the Pokémon love it here. They help each other out in the long run."

Woodruff nodded.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu continued to see the Heracross and Butterfree consuming the sap off of multiple trees. They thought it was pretty cool to watch them dine like that.

"So I assume you're just passing by?" asked Woodruff.

Tristan nodded. "We're on our way to Violet City. But when we saw that Heracross flying over us, we wanted to see where it was going and what it was doing."

"Well, there's certainly nothing wrong with that," smiled Woodruff. "I wish you success on your journey."

"Thank you," replied Tristan and Hillary together as they started to leave.

"Be careful out there, guys!" called Woodruff as he waved to them.

"We will!" called Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu waved goodbye to Woodruff as well.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu made their way out of the forest some time later. Presently, they heard voices.

"Rattata, Tackle attack!"

"Rattata, use your Tackle attack!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Power Play!"))_

Two young people were battling one another in a Pokémon battle, and they were both using a Rattata.

Tristan was the first to notice. "All right! There's a battle going on!" Pokémon battles always excited him, and he raced off toward the action.

"Wait for us, Tristan!" called Hillary as she and Pikachu ran after him.

The two Rattata were battling hard, trying to push each other back.

"Hang in there, Rattata!" said the first Trainer.

"Don't give up, Rattata!" said the second Trainer.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu came closer to the battle and were able to get a better view.

"It's a battle between two Rattata," said Hillary.

"Yes, but it looks like one of them is tiring out fast," added Tristan.

Sure enough, the first Rattata was running out of breath as it tried desperately to push the second Rattata back.

The first Trainer turned around and saw Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. "Hey, this is a big battle here! Leave me alone!"

But that was just the chance the second Trainer was waiting for, for when the first Rattata was looking the other way, the second Rattata pushed it back.

"Rattata!" cried the first Trainer.

"Rattata, finish it off with a Tackle attack!" ordered the second Trainer.

The second Trainer's Rattata ran as fast as it could, and rammed into the first Trainer's Rattata so hard that it managed to knock it out.

"No, Rattata!" cried the first Trainer as he rushed to his Pokémon. "Are you okay?"

Rattata gave a weak reply, and then it managed to get back on its feet.

"Sorry, Joey," said the second Trainer. "Looks like I won that time."

"Aw, come on, Mikey," groaned Joey. "Just one more battle, please?"

"My Rattata's still a little tired, Joey," replied Mikey. "And I'm sure your Rattata's tired, too. But if you still want to battle someone, try battling one of them."

Joey turned around and glared at Tristan and Hillary. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't distracted me, I would've won against my friend, Mikey!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle as heard in "Imitation Confontation"))_

"Hey, take it easy, kid, we didn't mean to distract you," said Hillary.

"Yeah, we're sorry," added Tristan.

"Just save it!" fumed Joey. "Rattata and I challenge you to a battle, boy!"

"Me? What for?" wondered Tristan.

"As payback for distracting me!" yelled Joey. "Go, Rattata!"

Joey's Rattata eagerly ran in front of Joey and prepared for battle.

"Oh, boy," whispered Hillary. "Now what do we do?"

"That's easy, Hillary, I accept his challenge," answered Tristan. He turned to Joey. "Okay, Joey, you're on!" He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Chikorita, I choose you!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball and landed neatly in front of Tristan.

"Chikorita, this is our first battle together, so let's show Joey what we can do," said Tristan.

Chikorita eagerly nodded in agreement.

"Rattata, use your Tackle attack!" yelled Joey.

Rattata charged toward Chikorita full-body style.

"Go, Chikorita, Tackle attack right back!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita charged at Rattata the same way.

Both Pokémon rammed into one another and attempted to push each other back without giving an inch.

"Stay strong, Chikorita!" encouraged Tristan.

"Rattata, you can do it!" encouraged Joey.

"Wow, Chikorita's doing well against that Rattata, considering it's its first time battling," remarked Hillary.

Sure enough, Chikorita proved to be evenly matched with Joey's Rattata.

However, Tristan's sharp eyes noticed the damage Rattata took in its last battle. _I'll have to finish this fast,_ he thought. _Rattata's getting too tired to battle anymore, and Joey's too concerned with winning against me to realize it. _"Chikorita, use your Sweet Scent!" he ordered.

Chikorita jumped back, waved the leaf on its head around, and emitted a cloud of pink powder from its leaf, enveloping Rattata in it.

Rattata sniffed the powder and relaxed.

"Rattata, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Joey.

"We got it now, Chikorita, finish it off with a Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita charged toward Rattata as fast as it could and rammed it hard.

Rattata slid and collapsed on the ground.

"Rattata, get up!" implored Joey. "You can do it, right?"

Rattata struggled and managed to get back on its feet.

"No way," said Tristan to himself. "It can't keep going after that."

And it didn't, for Rattata's legs gave out, and it fainted.

"Rattata!" gasped Joey as he ran to his Pokémon. "Are you okay?"

Rattata gave a weak reply.

"I was afraid that'd happen," said Hillary sadly.

Tristan quickly came to Joey and his Rattata and looked it over. He saw the injuries it sustained from its last two battles. "Your Rattata's gonna need some of this," he said as he dug out a Potion from his backpack. He carefully sprayed it on Rattata's bruises.

Sure enough, Rattata's bruises were disappearing.

"Luckily, I always carry some of these along with me," added Tristan. "Your Rattata should be just fine. But I suggest you take it to the Pokémon Center just in case."

Pikachu and Chikorita hopped on Tristan's shoulders and smiled in agreement.

"Thanks so much," replied Joey as he took out Rattata's Pokéball. "Rattata return."

Rattata turned into red energy and shot back inside its Pokéball.

"By the way, I didn't ask your name," said Joey.

"My name's Tristan," said Tristan. "This is Pikachu, and you've already met Chikorita."

Pikachu and Chikorita greeted Joey.

"My name's Hillary," added Hillary. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," replied Joey. "Thanks for a great battle. I didn't realize that Rattata was getting tired when I lost to Mikey. I took my frustration out on you without cause. I'm sorry."

"That's all right, Joey," replied Tristan. "Your Rattata's got a lot of potential there."

"Every Pokémon does," added Hillary. "Just keep on training hard and take good care of your Rattata, and you'll always be a winner."

"I will," said Joey. "Thanks again." And he hurried away to the Pokémon Center in New Bark Town.

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other.

"You know, I'm going to like him as a Trainer," remarked Hillary.

"I like him already," added Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival's Theme (as heard in "The Trouble with Snubbull"))_

Presently, Mikey came to Tristan and Hillary. "Now, I'd like to battle someone."

"I'm ready to battle you," said Tristan. "Chikorita's just getting warmed up, and Pikachu's ready, too."

"Hold on, Tristan," interrupted Hillary. "I'd like to battle Mikey."

"How come, sis?" asked Tristan.

"My Cyndaquil hasn't had a chance to battle yet today," explained Hillary. "And Squirtle could use a workout, too."

Tristan understood what Hillary said. "All right then, it's all yours."

"Unlike Joey's Rattata, mine's rested up and ready for action," said Mikey. "And I'm ready to show you what it can do. Let's go, Rattata!"

Mikey's Rattata leaped in front of him and prepared for battle.

"Go, Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary as she threw a Pokéball.

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it and positioned itself for battle.

"Rattata, Tackle attack!" commanded Mikey.

"You, too, Cyndaquil!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil and Rattata charged at each other, full-body style and met head-on. They both gave it all they had with neither giving an inch.

_Those two are evenly matched, _thought Tristan_. I know Hillary will be the one to win it in the end._

"Cyndaquil, Smokescreen!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a thick, black cloud of smoke from its mouth, enveloping Rattata in it.

Mikey frantically searched for Cyndaquil in the thick smoke. "Oh, no, I can't see a thing."

"Tackle attack!" shouted Hillary.

Mikey was taken by surprise as Rattata was attacked by Cyndaquil from out of nowhere. "Rattata!" he cried.

"Follow it up with Quick Attack!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil sped toward Rattata with a white line trailing behind it.

"Use your Quick Attack, too, Rattata!" ordered Mikey.

Rattata sped toward Cyndaquil in the same way.

Once again, both Pokémon collided with one another with neither giving an inch.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back, then it shot a powerful stream of fire at Rattata, scoring a direct hit in the process.

"Rattata!" cried Mikey.

Mikey's Rattata slid on the ground and collapsed; it had been knocked out.

"Rattata, return!" called Mikey as he took out its Pokéball.

Rattata transformed into red energy and shot back inside.

"That Cyndaquil of yours is pretty good," remarked Mikey. "But don't think this next one will be so easy." He took out a second Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgey, go!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

A Pidgey emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Boy, that takes me back," said Tristan to himself.

"Okay, Cyndaquil, you take a little break," said Hillary.

Cyndaquil ran to Hillary for a well-deserved rest.

"Go, Squirtle!" shouted Hillary as she threw a Pokéball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"This Squirtle is the very first Pokémon I got," explained Hillary. "It happens to be quite strong as well. Let's show them what we mean, Squirtle. Use your Water Gun now!"

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Pidgey.

"Well, strong or not, I'm gonna beat it," said Mikey. "Pidgey, Gust attack now!"

Pidgey flapped its wings furiously, creating a gust of wind so strong that it actually blew Squirtle's Water Gun away.

"No way!" gasped Hillary.

"Now Tackle attack, Pidgey!" commanded Mikey.

Pidgey charged in and flew at Squirtle.

"Quick, Squirtle, use Withdraw!" instructed Hillary.

Instantly, Squirtle shrunk into its shell as its body lit up in a blue light. Even though Pidgey struck it, Squirtle still took no damage thanks to its hard shell.

_Hillary's getting better and better at this, _thought Tristan. _I know she'll be a great Trainer._

"Squirtle, Water Gun now!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs appeared and it shot a blast of water from its mouth at Pidgey and scored a direct hit on it.

"Finish it off with a Tackle attack!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle charged full-body style at Pidgey and rammed into it, knocking it out.

"Pidgey, are you okay?" asked Mikey as he quickly ran to it.

Pidgey gave a weak reply.

"You were great," said Mikey as he took out Pidgey's Pokéball. "You deserve a good rest." And he returned Pidgey to its Pokéball. "That's strange. I won before."

"That was a good battle, Mikey," smiled Hillary.

"I still don't understand it," said Mikey. "How could my Pokémon lose to your Pokémon?"

"Well, for one thing, I've had more experience with Pokémon," explained Hillary. "And for another, I traveled in the Orange Islands just recently with my brother, Tristan, gaining experience as I went."

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Mikey understood what Hillary was saying. "So that's how you won. Now I'm learning something. Maybe I should think about traveling, too." He then stood up on his feet. "That was a pretty good battle, wasn't it?"

"It sure was, Mikey," replied Hillary.

Mikey offered to shake Hillary's hand. "Would you battle me again when I get stronger? Please?"

"I'd love to do that, Mikey," replied Hillary.

Both Trainers then shook hands.

"That's great," said Tristan to himself. "That's the way it should be: Trainers meeting each other and showing good sportsmanship, even after the battle. I think those two will both get stronger."

Pikachu agreed with him.

"I'll see you later, Hillary," said Mikey. He then left for the nearest Pokémon Center.

Hillary turned to Tristan. "What do you say we push on?"

"Great, let's go," replied Tristan.

And together, they started on their way once again.

"You know, my Pokémon did well today," said Hillary. "Even Cyndaquil put up a good battle, and I haven't had it for very long. Your Chikorita was pretty good, too."

"Well, that proves one thing," replied Tristan. "Pokémon and Trainers get stronger when they experience brand new things in a brand new world."

Hillary and Pikachu nodded in agreement.

* * *

_Meeting new people and seeing new places are only part of what a Pokémon journey is all about. And so, with that lesson fresh in their minds, our heroes continue on toward Violet City and the first Johto League Gym._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	7. SIGHTSEEING IS BELIEVING

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 7 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue to explore the Johto region. There will be some chapters where they will do some sightseeing. This will be one of them, but there will also be some battle action. As always, please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu go sightseeing as they continue their journey to Violet City.**

**Chapter 7: SIGHTSEEING IS BELIEVING**

_(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City (M18A)_

_Today, our heroes are walking from place to place, discovering new Pokémon along the way. Their first stop takes place in a small valley._

"Well, we should be able to get through this valley," said Tristan. "It's supposed to be the fastest way to get to Violet City."

"Yeah, provided we don't get crushed by falling rocks first," replied Hillary.

Pikachu agreed nervously.

Presently, a small gray elephant-like Pokémon made its appearance out of the bushes. It had a thick black band of hide running down the length of its back and extended to the tip of its long trunk.

"That's a cool Pokémon," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Donphan: The Armor Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"With its strong tusks and tough skin, Donphan is known for its powerful Tackle attack. The length of its tusks indicates its level."_

"Aren't Donphan usually bigger than this one?" asked Hillary.

"They should be, but take a look at those tusks," said Tristan. "They look pretty short."

Sure enough, they were short, and didn't look as sharp as those on the Pokédex.

"This Donphan must be a young Donphan," remarked Hillary.

Just then, the little Donphan lifted its trunk and sniffed the ground with its trunk.

"I wonder what it's looking for," said Tristan.

"Oh, that's amberite," answered a voice.

_(Music Cue: Today's Johto Pokémon Curiosity)_

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were startled to see a girl with green hair wearing an orange headband make her appearance.

"Who are you?" asked Hillary.

"My name's Rochelle," answered Rochelle, "and this Donphan is the least experienced in finding amberite, but it's getting better and stronger each day."

"That one looks very nice," said Hillary. "And cute, too. My name's Hillary."

"And I'm her brother, Tristan," added Tristan. "It's nice to meet you."

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Has this Donphan found amberite before?" asked Hillary.

"It's found a few pieces of amberite here in the past," answered Rochelle. And she showed Tristan and Hillary the necklace made of the same material. It felt very smooth.

"That's really cool," said Tristan.

Just then, the little Donphan started to walk away.

"Donphan, where are you going? Come back!" called Rochelle.

But the little Donphan continued walking, seemingly ignoring her command.

"What do we do?" asked Tristan.

"What I would normally do," replied Rochelle. And she took out a whistle and blew into it.

The whistle made a high-pitched noise, causing the little Donphan to quickly turn around and go back to Rochelle.

"Whoa, that's amazing!" gasped Hillary. "That Donphan obeyed the whistle just like that!"

"I've been training this Donphan to answer to the whistle for a little bit ever since I met another Trainer quite some time ago," explained Rochelle. "And, as I mentioned, it gets bigger and stronger each and every day.

"Has that Donphan ever been in a battle before?" asked Tristan.

"It's been in a few battles," answered Rochelle. "It wins some and loses some, but that's all part of the experience."

"Do you think you could battle me using that Donphan?" asked Tristan.

Rochelle turned to the little Donphan. "Well, what do you think?"

The little Donphan nodded eagerly.

"All right, we accept," said Rochelle.

"Great!" said Tristan excitedly. He could hardly wait to start battling.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan and Rochelle faced each other on opposite sides of a nearby clearing while Hillary and Pikachu watched.

"We'll battle with just one Pokémon each, agreed?" said Rochelle.

"Agreed," replied Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "Doin' What Comes Natu-rally"))_

_Normally, I'd send out Blastoise or Venusaur to take on a powerful Pokémon like Donphan, _he thought. _But it wouldn't be right to give it an unfair matchup, plus, Chikorita needs the experience. _He then took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Chikorita, I choose you!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked eager for battle.

"Why Chikorita?" wondered Hillary. "He could've had an easy win with either Blastoise or Venusaur, but he chose Chikorita instead. I guess he didn't want to be unfair." She then understood Tristan's choice. "That's very considerate."

"Ready, Chikorita?" asked Tristan. "This'll be a tough one."

Chikorita nodded.

"Donphan, Tackle attack!" commanded Rochelle.

The little Donphan charged toward Chikorita.

"Chikorita, jump and use Razor Leaf!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita nimbly jumped into the air, evading Donphan's Tackle attack, and shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at it, scoring a hit in the process.

"Not bad, Tristan," smiled Rochelle. "That little Chikorita's very nimble. Donphan, use Defense Curl."

Instantly, the little Donphan curled up into a ball to protect itself from Chikorita's Razor Leaf.

"That defense won't stop us," said Tristan. "Chikorita, Vine Whip attack!"

Chikorita shot two green vines from its bud necklace and struck Donphan repeatedly, but the little Donphan didn't seem to take much notice.

"That Donphan's stronger than I thought," grunted Tristan.

"Okay, it's time for a surprise," said Rochelle. "Donphan, use Rollout attack."

Donphan started rolling like a wheel at incredible speed.

"Goodness, that's fast!" gasped Hillary.

Sure enough, Donphan was rolling faster and faster...too fast for Chikorita to dodge it, as it struck it head on, sending it skyward.

"Don't give up, Chikorita," encouraged Tristan. "Stop it with Tackle attack!"

Chikorita landed neatly on its feet and charged at the rolling Donphan.

"Donphan, show Chikorita who's on a roll with another Rollout attack," instructed Rochelle.

At Rochelle's command, Donphan rolled even faster, much to Tristan's surprise.

Unfortunately for Chikorita, Donphan's Rollout attack proved to be much stronger and faster as it was struck again, sending it flying.

"Chikorita's in trouble!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Chikorita!" cried Tristan as he ran to catch a falling Chikorita in his arms. "Are you okay, Chikorita?"

Chikorita had a dazed expression on its face as it gave a weak reply. It had been knocked out by Donphan's second Rollout attack.

Donphan stopped its attack and came back to Rochelle's side.

"Great job, my little Donphan," commended Rochelle as she gently stroked it.

Donphan gave a happy reply.

"You were great, Chikorita," said Tristan. "You deserve a good rest." And he returned Chikorita to its Pokéball. "Does Rollout get stronger every time it strikes an opponent?"

_(Music Cue: Bicycle 1997-1998)_

"Yes, it does," answered Rochelle. "That's an excellent question. Not very many Trainers ask me that. And the more times it strikes, the faster and harder it goes, and the more damage the opponents take. That Chikorita of yours was good. I think that battle will help this Donphan get even stronger."

"Well, thanks, Rochelle, but truth be told, Chikorita and I haven't been together for very long," replied Tristan. "We still need a little practice, but I know this was a good experience for the both of us."

"That's the spirit, Tristan," said Hillary. "With an attitude like that, you'll always be a winner."

"Right, and that's what'll help me win my first Johto League badge!" added Tristan.

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

"So, I guess that means you're on your way to Violet City then, right?" asked Rochelle.

"That's right," answered Tristan.

"Then you should be able to get through this valley, through that dark forest, into the next town, and through the snowy mountains," explained Rochelle. "I think you're going to enjoy some of the other towns along the way, too."

"That's a lot of steps to take," remarked Hillary.

"But we can do it," added Tristan. "Who knows? Maybe we could even find some rare Pokémon."

"Yeah!" Hillary's face brightened up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go see if we can catch 'em!"

Rochelle gave a chuckle as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu began to depart. "Well, good luck on your journey."

"Thanks!" called Tristan and Hillary as they continued on.

And Rochelle waved to them until they were out of sight.

* * *

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

That night, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu came to a thick, dark forest.

"Oh, great," said Hillary. "I can't see a thing in here."

"Hmm," replied Tristan. "Maybe I should check my PokéGear to see where we are." He took out his PokéGear, pushed some buttons, and came to the map. "It looks like we went the right way. But I don't remember this forest being on the map."

"Maybe we should stop and set up camp for the night," suggested Hillary as she checked her PokéGear. "I don't see any Pokémon Centers nearby, and there's no way we can find one before the sun comes up anyway. And besides..." She then yawned. "I'm getting kind of sleepy after walking all day."

Tristan reluctantly agreed to the idea as he started to take out his sleeping bag. He didn't believe it at first, but he was getting tired as well. "At least nobody will bother us.

Presently, eerie sounds came from deeper in the forest.

"Did you hear that, Hillary?" asked Tristan nervously.

"It's just the wind, Tristan," replied Hillary.

"Oh," sighed Tristan. "I thought I heard something.

Just then, menacing faces began to appear on the trees as the eerie sounds got closer and closer.

"This can't be real, can it?" shivered Tristan.

"Oh, come on, Tristan," snorted Hillary. "You know ghosts like this don't..." But then she saw the scary faces on those trees. "Yipes!"

The faces laughed evilly and spookily.

_(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))_

"I told you I heard something!" said Tristan. "Now we see that something!"

"Run for it!" screamed Hillary as she, Tristan, and Pikachu ran from those trees.

But no matter which way they ran, those trees seemed to appear in front of them.

"It's no use," said Tristan. "We can't outrun these things!"

"Go away! Go away!" yelled Hillary.

"Hoothoot, use Foresight!" ordered a voice.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all gasped in shock as a beam of red light shot toward the trees. As they watched, the scary faces on the trees disappeared, and everything was back to normal.

"Who just saved us?" wondered Hillary.

"I don't know," replied Tristan.

"Hmph!" said the voice as he made his appearance. He had red hair.

Tristan knew who it was. "It's Silver," he whispered.

"You both are so pathetic," smirked Silver. "Falling for some illusion like that."

"Hey, we didn't know that those scary trees were illusions, okay?!" protested Hillary.

"Any wise Trainer should know that illusions like that don't exist."

A round owl-like bird Pokémon seemed to agree with him. The Pokémon had two big round red eyes, two stubby wings and a short fan-shaped tail.

"Who's that Pokémon?" wondered Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Hoothoot: The Owl Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Hoothoot stands on one leg, but uses both powerful eyes to see clearly, even through the darkest night."_

"Don't tell me that you don't know anything about Hoothoot either," grumbled Silver. He then smirked. "You're even more pathetic than I first thought." He turned to Hoothoot. "Come on, Hoothoot, let's leave those losers in shame."

Hoothoot agreed and hopped off right behind Silver.

"I can't stand that guy!" fumed Hillary. "The next time I see him, he's gonna be sorry!" Hillary was so angry that she forgot how tired she really was.

"All right, take it easy, Hillary," advised Tristan. "Silver wants us to get worked up."

"I am _not_ getting worked up!" snapped Hillary. "I don't care how smart he thinks he is! Nobody insults me like that!" And she ran off to try and catch Silver before Tristan could stop her.

Silver and Hoothoot saw her coming and quickly turned around. "What do you want?"

_(Music Cue: Ash'd Decision to Fight (first part)_

"I challenge you and Hoothoot to a battle!" demanded Hillary. "We'll see how powerful that Hoothoot really isn't!"

"I'd battle you with Hoothoot except..." began Silver.

"Except what?!" exclaimed Hillary. "That it would lose to my Pokémon?"

"No, that's not it at all, now listen," insisted Silver. "This Hoothoot is a rental. A nice old lady named Hagatha gave it to me so I could use it to get through this forest. And, even though I'd like to train it to become strong, it's not worth the risk."

"At least he's sensible at doing something," murmured Tristan.

"Fine then," said Hillary. "Then we'll battle one-on-one! Any Pokémon of yours against any Pokémon of mine!"

"I'll accept that," replied Silver. "But I should warn you that this battle will make our last one seem like a fond memory."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival's Theme (as heard in "The Grass Route"))_

A moment later, Hillary and Silver faced each other as Tristan and Pikachu watched nervously.

"I don't know about this," said Tristan to Pikachu. "Hillary doesn't know what she's gotten herself into, nor does she know how much stronger Silver's gotten since we first met."

Pikachu agreed with him.

"Totodile, battle mode!" shouted Silver as he threw a Pokéball.

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

_If Silver's Totodile has gotten stronger, he'll expect me to use Cyndaquil like I did last time, _thought Hillary. _But maybe I can beat him with another Water-type instead. Squirtle's the perfect choice. _"Okay, Squirtle, let's do it!" she shouted as she threw a Pokéball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and faced Totodile.

"So, you've chosen a Squirtle," smirked Silver. "That's lame. Totodile, Water Gun!"

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth towards Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun attack too!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water at Totodile.

Both Water Gun attacks were evenly matched.

"So, it's a standoff," smirked Silver. "We can fix that. Totodile, jump and use Bite now!"

Totodile jumped high into the air and opened its mouth, showing its sharp teeth.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" instructed Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell, thus negating Totodile's Bite attack.

But that was the opening Silver had been waiting for. "Blast it with Water Gun!"

Totodile shot another powerful blast of water from its mouth at Squirtle's shell, scoring a hit on it and sending it flying.

Squirtle's flight surprised it so much that its head and limbs emerged from its shell as it went into a free fall.

"Squirtle!" cried Hillary.

"This is bad," said Tristan nervously. "Squirtle's Withdraw prevented Bite from working, but this time, Withdraw worked to Totodile's advantage when its Water Gun attack blasted it!"

"That's right," replied Silver. "And now that Squirtle's been sent skyward, we can move in and do some serious damage. Totodile, finish it off with Scratch attack!"

Totodile rushed in and just as Squirtle was within striking distance, Totodile furiously scratched a defenseless Squirtle repeatedly, causing it to take a lot of damage as it fell to the ground.

"Squirtle, no!" cried Hillary.

Squirtle had a dazed expression on its face. It had been knocked out.

Silver smirked. "Now that was too easy." And he returned Totodile to its Pokéball.

Hillary quickly rushed to Squirtle. "Squirtle, are you okay? Say something!"

Squirtle opened its eyes and gave a weak reply.

"You were great, Squirtle," said Hillary. "I guess my strategy was a bit off."

"Now that that's done, I'm outta here," said Silver. "Later, weaklings." Then he turned his back on Tristan and Hillary and walked away.

Hoothoot turned around and hopped right behind him.

Hillary seethed in frustration after losing to Totodile. "I can't stand that guy," she muttered.

* * *

"I guess this just wasn't our day, huh, Hillary?" said Tristan some time later.

"I guess not," replied Hillary. "First your Chikorita losing, and now my Squirtle. What's the deal?"

"Our opponents were just better today," said Tristan. "But you know what? I think Squirtle and Chikorita will learn from their experiences, and in turn, we will also."

Pikachu agreed.

"I suppose," said Hillary doubtfully. "I still can't believe that Silver refuses to learn anything about friendship and trust, especially since he stole that poor Totodile in the first place. Now that Totodile's as rude and self-centered as he is."

"I think a good night's sleep will be just what we need," said Tristan. "Afterwards, we might feel different tomorrow. What do you say?"

Hillary agreed to the idea. "Sleep well, Tristan. Let's hope those spooky trees don't disturb us."

"We'll see," said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu closed their eyes and fell fast asleep.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were feeling much more cheerful and were ready to set off. They retraced their steps to the edge of the dark forest where an old lady was waiting.

"So did you get lost, kids?" she asked.

"Well, we were going in circles," answered Tristan.

"Yeah," added Hillary. "Do you have any Hoothoot to rent?"

"Yes, plenty of them, and they're all ready to go," answered the lady. "My name's Hagatha. I'm surprised that you didn't come to me sooner."

"Well, we'll be better prepared next time," promised Tristan.

"Okay, my little Hoothoot, guide these two kids through the forest," instructed Hagatha. "My twin sister Nagatha will be waiting."

The Hoothoot nodded.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Hillary. "Let's go!"

And with Hoothoot in the lead, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu followed it confidently through the dark forest.

* * *

A few twisted turns and several Foresights later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu made it through the forest and met up with Nagatha, Hagatha's twin sister.

"Well, now, did this little Hoothoot help you through the forest?" asked Nagatha.

"Yes," answered Tristan and Hillary.

"I never knew that Hoothoot's Foresight could see through those illusions until we saw them for ourselves," said Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "Next time we see an illusion, we'll just have a Pokémon use Foresight."

Hoothoot hopped on Nagatha's shoulder and hooted in agreement.

"Go through the next town, and through the snowy mountains, and you should be in Cherrygrove City," explained Nagatha. "It's not quite to Violet City, but you should be able to make it there as soon as you reach Cherrygrove City."

"We will, thank you," said Tristan and Hillary as they and Pikachu waved to Nagatha and set off for their next destination.

* * *

_Our heroes have had a few surprises on their journey. Some of their most recent ones may not have been as pleasant as they'd like, but in the end, they know that they've learned from those experiences. And so, with newfound wisdom from those experiences under their belts, our heroes now continue their journey to Violet City and the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	8. MORE SIGHTSEEING

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 8 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You the episode "Spinarak Attack from _Pokémon: The Johto Journeys_, right? This chapter is formatted just a little differently. And you may remember Tyson from Team Rocket in the anime, right? He makes a brief cameo appearance in this chapter with two Spearow. Of course, in his appearance on _Pokémon: Master Quest, _they are Fearow. Now this chapter is a little shorter than most, but there will be longer chapters. **

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu make a brief visit to Catallia City. But during a chase, Officer Jenny gets a flat tire on her car! How will our heroes come to her aid?**

**Chapter 8. MORE SIGHTSEEING**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard in the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_Our heroes are still on their way to Violet City, but today, their next stop is a place known as Catallia City. It's here where tales of a legendary thief are known to be true. Let's just hope that Tristan and Hillary don't end up in a sticky situatiion!_

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were walking on the streets of Catallia City as the sun shone in the sky.

"Boy, I'm sure glad to be out of that dark forest," said Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "I've had enough scary illusions for awhile.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Presently, a siren was heard in the distance.

Tristan and Hillary were instantly alerted to that sound.

"That sound can't be good," said Hillary.

"I agree, Hillary, let's go see what's going on," replied Tristan.

But before they could get very far, two Spearow appeared, and were flying directly at Tristan and Hillary!

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Whistle Stop"))_

"It's a Spearow air force, and they're coming at us!" cried Hillary as she quickly got herself and Tristan down onto the ground.

Seconds later, a man in a blue t-shirt and gray vest appeared. He had a red letter R on his vest. "Hurry up, you idiots! We can't let those cops catch us!"

Tristan and Hillary got up just in time to see the R on the man's vest. "It's Team Rocket!" they exclaimed.

Just then, scores of men in black uniforms ran at them, leaving them directly in their path. They were carrying bags of valuable items.

"We're trapped like Rattata!" cried Hillary. "There's no way we can battle 'em all at once!"

Fortunately, Tristan spotted a nearby alley. "Quick, let's get in here!" he advised as he pulled Hillary and Pikachu into it and out of the way of the onrushing stampede of Rocket Grunts just in time.

"Phew! That was close," sighed Hillary.

Just as the scores of Rocket Grunts passed by, leaving a trail of tacks behind, a police car showed up, but unfortunately, ran over one of the tacks and spun out of control and came to a stop, narrowly missing the alley.

Officer Jenny got out of the car and clenched her fists together. "Arrgh!" she fumed. "I was this close to catching them!"

Tristan and Hillary came out of the alley and ran over to Officer Jenny.

"Are you all right?" asked Hillary.

"I was trying to catch those Team Rocket thugs after they stole some valuable jewelry from a nearby store," explained Officer Jenny. "But their tacks gave me a flat tire! Of all the rotten luck! Now I'll never catch them."

"Maybe we can help, Officer Jenny," suggested Tristan. "I've got a Pokémon that might be able to help you catch those guys."

"Would you do that?" asked Officer Jenny.

"Yeah, we sure can," answered Hillary. "We haven't met a person that we couldn't help yet!"

"Charizard, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball.

_(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

Charizard emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"Charizard, do what Officer Jenny tells you!" instructed Tristan.

Charizard nodded.

Wasting no time, Officer Jenny climbed on Charizard, and together, they took off into the sky after the fleeing fiends.

"Come on, sis, let's follow them," said Tristan. "I sure don't want to miss what Officer Jenny does to those crooks."

Hillary nodded in agreement as she, Tristan, and Pikachu followed Charizard.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Rocket Grunts were still leaving tacks on the ground when suddenly, they heard a roar from above.

It was Charizard, and it and Officer Jenny were coming at the Grunts at remarkable speed.

"I've got you now, you thieving criminals!" shouted Officer Jenny.

Of course, the Rocket Grunts were terrified, for they had no idea that Officer Jenny would fly on a Charizard to try and catch them. Cowards that they were, they all turned tail and ran.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower to stop them!" commanded Officer Jenny.

With astounding speed, Charizard flew in front of the Rocket Grunts and shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth, creating a wall to block their escape.

The Rocket Grunts tried turning the other way.

However, Officer Jenny was too quick for them. "Okay, Spinarak, I choose you!" shouted Officer Jenny as she jumped off of Charizard and threw a Pokéball.

A green arachnoid Pokémon with black eyes and white pupils emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a white horn on its head, red mandibles, and six yellow legs.

"Spinarak, use your Spider Web attack to tie them all up!" ordered Officer Jenny as she landed on her feet.

Without hesitation, Spinarak shot a sticky white line from its mouth and abdomen at the fleeing Rocket Grunts, slowing them down and tangling them up.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived just in time to see everything.

"Whoa!" said Tristan. He was astounded by Spinarak's nimble movements.

"I've never seen a Pokémon do that before," remarked Hillary.

Spinarak continued to shoot more and more webs at the Rocket Grunts and the webs began to intensify more and more until they looked like real spider webs. At last all of the Rocket Grunts were immobilized and Spinarak landed neatly on Officer Jenny's left shoulder.

"Great job, Spinarak," commended Officer Jenny.

"Spinarak!" replied Spinarak.

"That was awesome," remarked Tristan.

"She caught them all with just one Spider Web," added Hillary. "I have to check this out." And she took out her Pokédex and scanned Spinarak with it.

_Spinarak: The String Spit Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Spinarak can climb any surface easily, and shoot a string of web from both the front and back of its body. Its prey is caught and held tight in its web."_

In no time at all, the Rocket Grunts, still tied up by Spinarak's webs, were hauled off to the nearest jail in a patrol wagon.

Charizard landed behind Tristan and his friends just as Officer Jenny came over to them.

"I don't know what I would've done if you two hadn't come along," said Officer Jenny. "That Charizard is well-trained, and it was just what I needed to help catch those criminals. We didn't get their leader, but thanks to your assistance, all the stolen items will be returned to their rightful owners. So on behalf of Catallia City and the police department, I salute you."

"We were just glad we could help, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Charizard nodded in agreement.

"I have a question, Officer Jenny," said Hillary. "Why do you use Spinarak for your police work instead of Growlithe?"

"That's an excellent question," replied Officer Jenny. "It's become a tradition. Let me tell you about it." And she began her story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Flying Dragonite (Kairu))_

"A long time ago, a dangerous and legendary criminal known as the Black Arachnid had a Meowth as his partner," explained Officer Jenny. "Whenever the police were close to capturing them, Meowth would use Pay Day to scare the police off.

But one day, those two met their match: Officer Jenny. She used her own Spinarak to put an end to their crime spree once and for all. That Officer Jenny is a direct descendant of mine from eight generations ago."

* * *

"And not only that, this Spinarak is a descendant of that other Spinarak from the same time," finished Officer Jenny.

Spinarak smiled in agreement.

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Tristan and Hillary.

"That must be the reason why the whole police force uses Spinarak," said Tristan.

"Not too long ago, three characters, including a Meowth, posing as the Black Arachnid II, were also in Catallia City," said Officer Jenny. "But thanks to Spinarak and three Trainers named Ash, Misty, and Brock, we were able to thwart their plans and save all the treasures, including a rich man's prized trophy."

"That must've been those three members of Team Rocket we ran into a few times before," remarked Tristan.

"Ash, Misty, and Brock must be really popular," remarked Hillary. "Did they solve any other cases?"

"They helped solve the stolen Totodile case in New Bark Town," answered Officer Jenny. "Those same three characters had apparently stolen it from Professor Elm's laboratory."

"You know sis, those must be the Team Rocket members Grandma saw while they were flying through the air," said Tristan.

"You're right, Tristan," replied Hillary. "That has to be."

* * *

"Team Rocket's messed things up again!"

* * *

"By the way," added Officer Jenny. "I had received a letter from the Jenny in New Bark Town regarding the case of another Trainer stealing the Totodile, and wanted to thank you for your help in identifying the thief."

"Well, we didn't rescue that Totodile," explained Tristan. "Silver had stolen it and scared the Chikorita into hiding, but Chikorita and I talked it out."

"Chikorita's been doing really well, especially since it chose Tristan as its new Trainer," added Hillary.

"I'm so glad to hear that," smiled Officer Jenny.

Suddenly, a white light shot out of one of Tristan's Pokéballs, much to everyone's surprise.

Chikorita emerged from the white light and appeared on Tristan's other shoulder.

"Hi, Chikorita," smiled Tristan. "I thought you might come out after hearing that."

"Chiko!" replied Chikorita.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

Officer Jenny took Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu on a tour of the police station. Sure enough, the place was crawling with dozens of Spinarak.

"I've never seen so many Spinarak before," remarked Hillary. "It's almost like their second natural home."

"I sure wouldn't want to get tangled in their webs like those guys from Team Rocket did," added Tristan.

"The Spinarak will always watch our backs," chuckled Officer Jenny. "Thanks to them, no criminal ever escapes our eyes or our webs."

All the Spinarak seemed to agree at once.

"Now that's a pretty neat way to catch criminals," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu and Hillary seemed to agree with him.

* * *

In a matter of minutes, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were ready to move on.

"Thanks for the tour, Officer Jenny!" called Hillary.

"Tale care of the Spinarak!" added Tristan.

"I will!" replied Officer Jenny. "And thank you for your help today! Good luck on your journey!"

"Thank you!" said Tristan and Hillary as they set off toward their next destination.

* * *

_And so, thanks to our heroes, Officer Jenny was able to help stop a gang of criminals and bring them to justice. Now they're back on the road and looking for more adventures as they continue their journey to Violet City and the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	9. THE MYSTERY EGG

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 7 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in the Johto region. I'm basing this chapter of the part of the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games when the player receives the Mystery Egg from Mr. Pokémon, but I'm also featuring the cold mountains where Ash catches his Chikorita. Tristan and Hillary's great-grandmother, Rachael, informally gets introduced in this chapter. And you'll never believe who makes a special guest appearance in this chapter...it's Jigglypuff from the anime! Please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary find an egg that's freezing cold inside a cave. Their great-grandmother had inadvertently come there, but had suffered an injury. Hillary promises to keep the egg warm and hatch it...but will she be too concerned about the egg to care about her own health?**

**Chapter 9. THE MYSTERY EGG**

_(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

_Our heroes are still on their way to Violet City, but today, after going through many towns and forests, they're traveling in the cold snowy mountains. Maybe they should have brought warm coats with them!_

"Brr!" shivered Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu trekked through the snow one sunny morning. "Are you feeling c-c-cold, Hillary?"

"Yes, T-Tristan, I am," agreed Hillary. "Maybe G-Grandma should've given us c-c-coats."

Pikachu agreed with them, too, as it sat on Tristan's shoulder.

"Hey, look there!" Tristan had seen something up ahead and alerted Hillary and Pikachu to it. Sure enough, he had found a nice empty cave. "Let's get inside and warm up!"

"Oh, goody!" said Hillary as she and Tristan ran. "I'm sure ready to take a break from this!"

* * *

The cave was small, but it was big enough as a shelter. There was no fire burning inside it, however.

"Maybe we should make a fire or something," suggested Hillary. She gathered a bundle of sticks and set them neatly in a pile.

"Good idea," replied Tristan. He took out Charizard's Pokéball. "Come on out, Charizard."

The Pokéball opened and Charizard emerged from the white light that came out of it.

"Charizard, could you gently make a fire for us please?" asked Tristan.

Charizard nodded. It then emitted a gentle flame from its mouth onto the sticks, thus starting a nice cheery fire.

"Ah, that feels good," said Hillary.

"Thanks, Charizard," said Tristan.

Charizard nodded.

Suddenly, Pikachu noticed something in the far corner of the cave and alerted Tristan and Hillary to it.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan. "Is something there?"

_(Music Cue: Strange Weather (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Tristan and Hillary rushed over to the corner and, to their surprise, they saw a white egg with blue and red shapes on it.

Hillary gently picked up the egg. "It's freezing cold. It needs to be warmed up fast, or it won't make it." She quickly ran back to the fire to help warm it up.

"Hey, sis, your Cyndaquil may be able to help out, too," suggested Tristan.

"Yeah!" agreed Hillary. She took out Cyndaquil's Pokéball. "Cyndaquil, come on out."

The Pokéball opened and Cyndaquil emerged from the white light next to Hillary.

"Cyndaquil, I need you to help me warm this egg," instructed Hillary. "Ignite your flame, but don't use too much heat."

Cyndaquil nodded. It gently ignited the flame from the four holes on its back to a gentle level.

"There, that should help," said Hillary. "Thank you, Cyndaquil. Just keep that flame of yours going."

"But who would leave an egg out in the cold like that?" wondered Tristan.

"I wish I knew," replied Hillary.

Presently, they saw a note attached to the egg. It read:

**To anyone who reads this: I love hatching Pokémon as much as all loving Trainers do, and have done so for many decades. However, I can't afford to keep this egg. I've taken a fall and can't move well these days. I've since been transported to a hospital. I am getting better day by day. But I hope that when you do find this note, you will hatch it into a happy and healthy Pokémon. Please keep the egg safe.**

**-Rachael.**

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock, for they knew who that name was.

"There's only one person I know who'd write a note like that," said Tristan.

"It has to be Great-Grandma Rachael!" agreed Hillary. "It sounds like she was the one who had that fall."

"I think we'd better call Grandma right away," suggested Tristan. "She should know about this." And he quickly took out his PokéGear and called his grandmother, Veronica.

An instant later, Veronica's voice was heard. "Hello, Tristan, what's up?"

"Hi, Grandma," said Tristan. "We just came to a cave and saw a note written by Great-Grandma Rachael, indicating that she recently took a fall."

"Oh, dear, that's terrible!" said Veronica. "Is she okay?"

"She's in a hospital right now, getting better every day," replied Tristan. "She was also taking care of an egg we just found."

"I keep telling her not to venture out and do too many things these days," said Veronica. "She and your great-grandfather love hatching eggs and have been doing it for years at a daycare center near Goldenrod City. However, your great-grandmother's getting on in years, and she doesn't always know her own limitations. I'll let your grandfather know about this right now. Do you know which hospital she's at?"

"No, Grandma, we don't," replied Hillary.

"Well, we'll find out one way or another," said Veronica. "It's now up to you kids to keep the egg warm and hatch it. Your great-grandmother will be very happy knowing that's in good hands with you."

"Right," replied Tristan. "We'll do our best."

"I have to go now," said Veronica. "I love you." And she hung up.

"Poor Grandma," said Hillary. "She must really be worried about Great-Grandma Rachael. I'm gonna help her by hatching this egg. I'll take on this responsibility myself. And no matter what, this egg will hatch safely."

"Great! That's the spirit, sis," replied Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with him.

* * *

At the house in New Bark Town, Veronica shared the news with her husband Eric. "My mother just recently suffered a fall inside a cave and left an egg inside with a note attached. She's in a hospital right now, but is getting better."

"I'm sorry to hear that, dear," replied Eric.

"Tristan and Hillary found the egg just now and have been asked to hatch it," added Veronica.

"I'm sure glad they did," said Eric. "Let's see if we can call any hospitals near here and see your mother. I know she will be happy to see you."

* * *

Back inside the cave, Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends were busily keeping the egg they found warm.

"How's the egg?" asked Tristan.

"I think it's warming up," answered Hillary. "It's slow, but I think it'll make it."

"That's good," said Tristan. "Now we just have to keep the egg warm until it hatches."

But just then, Cyndaquil's flame went out and it collapsed on the ground.

"Oh, no, Cyndaquil!" gasped Hillary. "Please tell me what's wrong!"

Cyndaquil panted wearily.

"Cyndaquil must be exhausted from keeping the egg warm with its flame," replied Tristan. "It's not used to doing a task this long and hard yet. You'd better let it rest, and then, after a while, you can let it out again to help keep the egg warm."

"Okay," said Hillary as she took out Cyndaquil's Pokéball. "Cyndaquil, return!"

Cyndaquil turned into red energy and shot back inside the Pokéball.

"Do you want me to take over for you?" asked Tristan.

"No, thank you, Tristan," answered Hillary. "I promised to keep the egg warm, and I'm gonna keep it." Hillary then sat closer to the fire that Charizard had made. "If you taught me anything on this journey of ours, it's to keep on trying, no matter how impossible it seems. Cyndaquil helped me start this process, and I will finish it. And I won't stop until it's done."

Tristan understood what Hillary said. "Suit yourself. I'm not going to stand in your way. I know you can do it."

Presently, everyone's stomach's grumbled.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

"Now, I'm getting hungry," moaned Tristan.

"Yeah, taking care of an egg can really work up an appetite," agreed Hillary. "Did you bring food, Tristan?"

"I always come prepared with food," replied Tristan. "Grandma made these for us in case we got hungry." He dug into his backpack and took out some sandwiches.

"All right, that solves the problem for us," said Hillary. "But what about the Pokémon?"

"Like Grandma, I always come prepared with that as well," replied Tristan as he took out cans of high-quality Pokémon food, plus pieces of paper.

"What are those?" asked Hillary.

"They're recipes that Brock gave me right when we were in the Viridian Forest," answered Tristan. "Now it's time for the Pokémon to chow down."

Pikachu and Charizard eagerly agreed.

"All right! Come on out, guys!" said Tristan as he tossed three more Pokéballs.

Venusaur, Blastoise, and Chikorita emerged from the white lights that shot out of the balls and appeared next to Pikachu and Charizard.

"Now, it's time to introduce my team," said Hillary as she tossed four Pokéballs.

Squirtle, Eevee, Ledyba, and Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of them. Cyndaquil was still pretty tired from keeping the egg warm with its flame.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to our newest teammates: Chikorita and Cyndaquil," said Tristan. He then turned to Chikorita and Cyndaquil. "These are our friends, and your friends, too."

Chikorita and Cyndaquil greeted all of Tristan and Hillary's Pokémon warmly.

Chikorita found out that it and Venusaur had a lot in common being Grass-type Pokémon.

Cyndaquil, who was still pretty tired, managed to greet everyone as well.

Tristan then handed out Pokémon food to every one of the Pokémon.

"Having a cave full of friends sure makes this place a lot more friendly," remarked Hillary.

"You said it," agreed Tristan.

All the Pokémon agreed as they heartily ate their dinner.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

That night, everyone got ready to go to sleep. Outside the cave, the sky was clear and cold, but inside, the fire was still burning cheerily.

"It's too bad we're not at a Pokémon Center," said Tristan as he dug out his sleeping bag. "However, a nice, warm empty cave will keep us comfy."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "Even though it's nice to sleep in a soft bed, this can actually be kind of fun. I remember the very first time we camped out in the Viridian Forest. It was pretty interesting, sleeping with all kinds of Pokémon voices in the background."

Presently, every Pokémon yawned, including Pikachu.

"The Pokémon look tired, especially Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "It spent part of the day warming that egg up." He took out his four Pokéballs. "Okay, guys, it's time for bed. Have pleasant dreams, and I'll see you in the morning." He returned Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise into their Poké Balls.

Hillary took out her four Pokéballs and returned Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, and Ledyba inside of them.

However, Chikorita ran behind Tristan's legs.

"What's up, Chikorita?" asked Tristan.

"I guess Chikorita wants to sleep with you and Pikachu," said Hillary. "It hasn't had much experience in the outside world."

Tristan grinned. "Okay, you can sleep with us."

Chikorita was delighted, and happily jumped onto Tristan's shoulder.

A few moments later, Tristan made himself comfortable inside his sleeping bag with Pikachu and Chikorita.

But Hillary sat next to the fire, busily keeping the egg warm.

"Aren't you tired, sis?" asked Tristan.

Hillary shook her head. "I want to stay up and keep an eye on the egg. This poor thing's been out in the cold so long, who knows what would've happened if we hadn't found it."

"You're right," agreed Tristan. "Now Great-Grandma Rachael said something about Pokémon hatching from eggs. If that's true, I wonder what Pokémon will hatch from this one."

"Good question, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Maybe it'll be a Bulbasaur, or perhaps a Charmander."

"Or maybe a rare Pokémon like Dratini," added Tristan.

"Well, whatever it is, I just hope it's happy and healthy," said Tristan.

Tristan nodded. "Well, if you need me to help you hatch this egg, let me know."

"Don't worry about me, Tristan, I'll be fine," Hillary assured him. "You just get some sleep."

"Okay then," said Tristan. "Good night, sis." And Tristan closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.

Pikachu and Chikorita fell asleep shortly thereafter.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

The next morning, the sun shone outside in the cold air as Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita woke up feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep inside the cave.

"Boy, that was great!" yawned Tristan as he stretched. "I'm ready for another great day!" But then he noticed Hillary still taking care of the egg. She hadn't moved an inch since sitting next to the fire the night before. _Poor Hillary, _he thought. _She must be exhausted. Sh'e been taking care of that egg around the clock._

Presently, Hillary gave a big yawn.

"Whoa," said Tristan to himself. "She _is _exhausted." And he quickly ran to her. "Hillary, it's me. Are you in there?"

Hillary yawned again and slowly turned to Tristan. "Good morning, Tristan. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine," answered Tristan. "Did you?"

"Not at all," yawned Hillary. "I couldn't sleep. I was up all night taking care of the egg we found."

"No wonder you're so tired," said Tristan. "Let's take a break and have some breakfast."

A few moments later, Tristan and Hillary let all their Pokémon out of their Poké Balls and ate their breakfast. But Hillary didn't feel like eating anything. She just sat there, giving a big loud yawn.

_It sure isn't like Hillary to be so tired, _thought Tristan. _She must have thought about the egg over her own personal health._

Sure enough, Hillary seemed like she wasn't into it. She just kept yawning loudly.

On the other hand, her Pokémon were feeling refreshed from a good night's rest. Even Cyndaquil was back up to full strength from its earlier task of warming the egg from the day before.

"I know how to wake you up," said Tristan to Hillary. "Let's train by having a Pokémon battle. The action will force you to wake up, and you'll have to concentrate. What do you say?"

Hillary just yawned, then she said, "Okay, I accept your challenge."

* * *

Just outside the cave, Tristan and Hillary faced each other. Tristan had chosen Chikorita while Hillary, still holding the egg in her hand, chose Cyndaquil.

"I might as well go first," said Tristan. "Chikorita, use your Tackle attack!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "A Ghost of a Chance"))_

Chikorita charged at Cyndaquil full-body style.

"Cyndaquil, use your Smokescreen," yawned Hillary.

Cyndaquil emitted a huge, thick gray cloud of smoke from its mouth, blinding Chikorita and stopping it in its tracks.

"There's no way we can see Cyndaquil in this smoke," said Tristan. "Chikorita, try hitting it with Razor Leaf!"

Chikorita waved the leaf on its head, and instantly, sharp leaves were shot from it inside the smoke, but none of them came remotely close to hitting Cyndaquil.

Hillary gave a loud yawn and instructed, "Cyndaquil, use your Quick Attack."

Cyndaquil charged at Chikorita at blinding speed, then it rammed into Chikorita; however, Chikorita dug in its heels in the snow.

"Way to hang in there, Chikorita," commended Tristan. "Use your Tackle attack now!"

Chikorita charged at Cyndaquil full-body style once again.

Unfortunately, Hillary yawned so loudly that it threw off Cyndaquil's timing, thus allowing Chikorita to score a hit on Cyndaquil as a result.

"Okay, Chikorita, let's finish it off with a Vine Whip attack," instructed Tristan.

Chikorita extended two vines from the buds around its neck toward Cyndaquil.

However, Tristan saw that Hillary sat on the ground and had fallen fast asleep. He couldn't let Cyndaquil get hurt because of it. "Chikorita, stop your attack!" he shouted.

Instantly, Chikorita stopped its attack and withdrew the two vines.

Tristan quickly rushed to Hillary and held her in his arms with Pikachu right next to him. "Hillary, are you okay?"

Hillary slowly opened her eyes. "What happened?"

"I think you fell asleep on the job," answered Tristan.

Hillary gave the loudest yawn yet. Then she returned Cyndaquil to its Pokéball, closed her eyes, and fell asleep again.

Presently, a pink balloon-like Pokémon with big, cute green eyes and pointy ears made its appearance.

"I wonder what that is," said Tristan as he scanned it with his new Pokédex.

_"Jigglypuff: The Balloon Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Jigglypuff rolls its cute eyes as it sings a soothing lullaby. Its gentle song puts anyone who hears it to sleep."_

Just then, Jigglypuff took out what appeared to be a microphone.

"Now what's Jigglypuff up to?" asked Tristan.

Jigglypuff inhaled deeply and began to sing.

_(Music Cue: Jigglypuff's Song)_

_Jig-gl-y-puff Jiggl-y-y-y-puff  
Jig-gl-y-puff Jiggl-yyyyyyyy_

Now it was Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita's turn to yawn.

"That's no fair, I just woke up," yawned Tristan. And he, Pikachu, and Chikorita joined Hillary in deep slumber.

Miraculously enough, Hillary kept the egg safely in her arms while she slept.

However, as Jigglypuff continued to sing, it noticed that its audience had fallen fast asleep. It then stopped its song.

_(Music fade out)_

Jigglypuff puffed up and got mad. Then it took off part of its microphone and revealed a marker. It then drew on the faces of Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Chikorita. Then it stormed off, still puffed up.

* * *

A few hours later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Chikorita woke up feeling very refreshed and stretched their arms and legs.

Curiously enough, Hillary still had the egg in her hand.

"Boy, that was great!" yawned Hillary. "I haven't been so refreshed in a long time."

"Yeah, me, too," agreed Tristan.

But just then Tristan and Hillary saw the marker ink on each other's faces. "Aah! What happened to your face?!" they exclaimed.

They both quickly took out washcloths and wiped the marker ink off their faces. Then they saw the ink on Pikachu's and Chikorita's faces.

"Somebody must be pulling a prank on us or something," grumbled Hillary.

"I wonder if Jigglypuff did this after we fell asleep," said Tristan. Then he saw that the egg was still clutched tightly in Hillary's hands. "Wow, you look like a real mother taking care of a baby. You never let go of the egg even for a second."

"Yeah, I don't know how I'm doing it," replied Hillary.

Just then, they saw the egg flash.

"Hillary, did you see that?" asked Tristan.

"I sure did," replied Hillary. "I wonder what's going on."

"Maybe the egg is close to hatching," said Tristan. "Let's get down the mountain, and maybe we'll find a Pokémon Center."

"Good idea," replied Hillary. "Maybe Nurse Joy can help us."

* * *

An hour later, they reached the bottom of the cold, snowy mountains.

"Ah, that's more like it," said Tristan.

"Yeah, it's starting to warm up," added Hillary.

Presently, the egg flashed two times.

"Whoa, it must be getting close to hatching," said Tristan. "It's flashing more and more often."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Hillary. "If we keep walking, maybe it'll hatch."

Just then, they saw a small building with a Poké Ball and the letter P on it.

"All right, there's a Pokémon Center!" said Tristan.

"You're right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "Let's go in and see Nurse Joy."

And they hurried to the Pokémon Center posthaste.

Inside, Nurse Joy greeted them. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center."

"Nurse Joy, this egg keeps flashing," said Hillary as she showed her the egg. "We thought maybe you could tell us what's going on."

Nurse Joy smiled. "Well, I certainly do. This egg is about to hatch."

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

"This is so exciting!" said Tristan. "I can't wait to see what comes out of that egg!"

"I just wish it would hatch into a happy and healthy Pokémon," said Hillary.

Suddenly, as if an answer to Hillary's wish, the egg began to glow.

Nurse Joy checked the egg with her stethoscope as she nodded. "Looks like it's time."

Then, a shimmering tone was heard as the egg hatched. Stubby hands and round feet emerged from the shell, and soon after, a head with five spikes on it.

Seconds later, the glowing stopped, and the newly hatched Pokémon opened its eyes. It saw Hillary and happily greeted her.

"This is so awesome!" said Hillary excitedly.

Tristan and Pikachu could barely contain their excitement themselves. They hadn't been this excited since seeing the baby Lugia hatch on the Whirl Islands recently.

"I wonder what it is," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex and scanned the newly-hatched Pokémon.

_"Togepi: The Spike Ball Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"It is considered to be a symbol of good luck. Its shell is said to be filled with happiness."_

"So it's a Togepi," said Hillary. "Just wait till Grandma hears about this!"

* * *

"Goodness me!" said Veronica on the videophone. "You hatched the egg? That's very impressive. What came out of it?"

"Togepi hatched from the egg," answered Hillary. "It sure is cute, isn't it?"

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"I also learned a valuable lesson from all of this," added Hillary.

"And what's that, dear?" asked Veronica.

"That I should occasionally get some rest myself," replied Hillary. "I was so tired from keeping the egg warm all night last night that I couldn't concentrate on one Pokémon battle."

"But Hillary did a great job of keeping the egg warm the whole time," interrupted Tristan.

Veronica smiled. "That makes me very happy, and I'm sure your great-grandmother will be happy to hear that the egg was safely hatched. Great job, kids."

"Hillary deserves most of the credit," replied Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'll let your grandfather and great-grandmother know that all is well with the egg," said Veronica. "Bye for now."

The video screen then turned off.

"Well, sis, you should be very proud of yourself," said Tristan. "You kept the egg warm and hatched it."

"And now I have a new friend," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi replied in agreement.

* * *

_After nearly freezing inside the cave in the cold, snowy mountains, Hillary's motherly instincts allowed the egg to hatch safely. Now, with a happy and healthy Togepi added to their ever-growing Pokémon family, our heroes continue their journey to Violet City and the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	10. ADVENTURES IN CHERRYGROVE CITY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 8 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. The Guide Gent from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games makes an appearance in this chapter. "You may recall the episode "Pokémon Food Fight" where Ash accidentally damages Snorlax's Pokéball. Now normally, when a Pokéball is broken into pieces, the Pokémon is relieved from the Trainer's ownership, but since it was accidentally destroyed, that won't be the case this time. This chapter will be shorter than most, but don't worry, there will be longer chapters ahead. Anyway, please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan accidentally breaks one of his Pokéballs when he trips on a rock! Now he must take part in a treasure hunt with Hillary to find a new Pokéball and a new home for Chikorita, and only an elderly gentleman can help them find it! But will they accept his grand tour of Cherrygrove City and his help?**

**Chapter 10: ADVENTURES IN CHERRYGROVE CITY**

_(Music Cue: Opening 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_Today, our heroes are running toward the entrance to Cherrygrove City. But little do they know that an accident is bound to happen._

Tristan and Pikachu were running excitedly toward the city limits. "Come on, Hillary!" he called. "This fresh air is wonderful!"

"I'm coming, Tristan!" Hillary, holding Togepi in her arms, did her best to catch up, but suddenly, she spotted a big rock in the road a short distance from Tristan. "Tristan, watch out!"

But it was too late, for he tripped on the rock, causing him to yell out and hit the ground hard.

_(Music Cue: Freeing Charizard (starting at 4:11 to the end))_

There was worse to come, for one of his Pokéballs flew off his belt high into the air. Down and down it fell at a high rate of speed until finally, it smashed into an even bigger rock on the side of the road, causing it to break into pieces.

An instant later, Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of the broken Pokéball. It saw Tristan lying on the ground and quickly rushed to him followed by Pikachu, Hillary, and Togepi.

"Are you okay, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

Tristan slowly got up and dusted himself off. "I'm okay. Nothing's broken." But then he saw the broken Pokéball and gasped in horror. "My Pokéball! Oh, what should I do?"

"Don't worry, Tristan," said Hillary. "We'll get that Pokéball fixed. Let's get to the Pokémon Center and get some help from Nurse Joy."

"Okay," agreed Tristan.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary wasted no time getting to the Pokémon Center, but unfortunately, they were in for some bad news.

"This is terrible," said Nurse Joy as she looked at the broken pieces. "I'm afraid this Pokéball is damaged beyond repair."

"Beyond repair?" said Tristan in disbelief. "But what about Chikorita? Where will its home be?"

"Tristan, please take it easy!" implored Hillary. "We'll figure something out."

"Don't worry, Tristan," Nurse Joy assured him. "I'm sure you didn't break that Pokéball on purpose. And Chikorita still likes you. Now what you need to do is to find an Apricorn Tree. It has very special fruits that can be made into custom Pokéballs."

"Pokéballs made from Apricorns?" said Hillary. "I've never heard of that before."

"For centuries, namely between four and seven of them, the only Pokéballs that existed were made from Apricorns," explained Nurse Joy. "Kurt from Azalea Town is an expert on making them, but I've recently started taking lessons from him on how to make high-quality Apricorn Pokéballs. And the extra clear water here in Cherrygrove City makes the Pokéball extra special."

"Where can we find the Apricorn Tree, Nurse Joy?" asked Tristan.

"You can find one just outside the city limits," answered Nurse Joy. "It shouldn't be too tough to get one, and they just ripened, but I strongly advise that you don't pick too many at once. Doing so can cause harm to the tree itself."

"I don't need a lot of Apricorns," said Tristan. "I'd be happy if I could get just one."

"Me, too," added Hillary. "Picking one Apricorn or two a day shouldn't do any harm to the tree."

"However," continued Nurse Joy. "There is a rumor going around that there is a treasure hunt going on right now."

"Treasure hunt?" said Hillary. "What's the treasure?"

"I've heard through the grapevine that a Friend Ball is somewhere in Cherrygrove City," answered Nurse Joy. "Someone must not have liked it and just threw it away. But maybe it could use a happy home with a good Trainer."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" said Tristan. "Let's go find them!" And he and Hillary ran out of the Pokémon Center.

"Good luck, you guys!" called Nurse Joy. "And be careful out there!"

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

Tristan and Hillary were enjoying the sights of Cherrygrove City as they looked for an Apricorn Tree.

"This water looks like it's incredibly clean and clear," remarked Tristan.

"The people who live here must take very good care of it," agreed Hillary.

Presently, a light-blue amphibious Pokémon swam by in the water. It had a round and broad head, a wide mouth, and tiny blue eyes.

"I wonder what that Pokémon is," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Quagsire: The Water Fish Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"The Quagsire makes its home in clean freshwater lakes. The Quagsire is covered by a slippery layer of skin, making this Pokémon especially difficult to handle."_

"We wouldn't want to slip up with this Pokémon," said Tristan.

"I have to catch one," said Hillary.

But presently, she and Tristan noticed a sign.

**WARNING**

**QUAGSIRE PRESERVATION RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE**

**NO CAPTURING OR BATTLING ALLOWED**

**ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW!**

"On second thought, I don't want to be arrested right now," said Hillary. She didn't want to be prosecuted by the law.

Neither did Tristan. "Going to jail is the last thing on my mind. Besides, we have to find an Apricorn to replace the Pokébball that broke."

And so they continued on, leaving the Quagsire alone.

They came to a tree a short time later, but to their disappointment, it was empty.

"That's too bad," said Tristan. "No Apricorns there."

"Well, maybe those Apricorns aren't ripe yet," replied Hillary. "I guess our only chance is to find that Friend Ball that Nurse Joy was talking about."

"Do you think it could be made from Apricorns?" asked Tristan.

"Maybe," replied Hillary. "But we're not going to find it just standing here all day. Let's keep going."

And they started off again, but not for long, for just then, an elderly gentleman appeared.

_(Music Cue: Today's Johto Pokémon Curiosity)_

"Hello, young whippersnappers," he said. "And welcome to Cherrygrove City."

Tristan and his friends were taken aback by the gentleman.

"Who are you?" asked Hillary.

"I'm just an elderly gentleman," answered the elderly gentleman. "But you may call me Guide Gent."

"Guide Gent?" said Tristan. "That's a weird name. What do you do?"

"Well, as my name suggests, young man," replied Guide Gent, "I'm a tour guide that gives tours to new visitors in Cherrygrove City. And I can tell you two are quite inexperienced yourselves. So please allow me to show you all around Cherrygrove City."

"That's awfully nice of you, but we have things to do, like..." Hillary began.

"Maybe you'd rather get lost instead, fine with me," Guide Gent teased.

"No, no, we'd love to have you show us around," said Tristan. "Right, sis?"

"Yeah, that's right!" agreed Hillary doubtfully.

"That's the spirit!" said Guide Gent. "I knew you'd see my way of thinking!"

_We're stuck now, _thought Hillary.

_Now we'll never find that Friend Ball, _thought Tristan.

"Now be lively and follow me for the grand tour," smiled Guide Gent as he led Tristan and his friends through the streets of town. "Now this is a Pokémon Center. I'm sure you know at least that much. And right next to that is the Poké Mart. That's where Trainers like you can buy all kinds of Pokémon merchandise for all kinds of needs."

_This is boring, _thought Tristan. _When are we ever going to get to the treasure hunt?_

_Maybe we should just leave and grab a bite to eat, _thought Hillary. _Then again, this tour could be fun._

Pikachu, Chikorita, and Togepi yawned.

The Guide Gent continued on and on. "This is the route Trainers take out of Cherrygrove City. There's a huge apple orchard not too far from here. And there's the river over there." He then led them towards a small house. "And here...is my house! Thank you so much for letting me give you the grand tour."

"You're welcome, I think," said Tristan.

"Please come in," said Guide Gent as he led Tristan and Hillary inside the house.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

"We heard there's a treasure hunt going on somewhere in Cherrygrove City," said Hillary. "Do you know anything about it?"

"Oh, of course," smiled Guide Gent. "Trainers who say they don't need grand tours of a city this size are never able to find what they're looking for."

"What are you saying?" asked Tristan. He was a little puzzled.

"What I mean is it's always okay to ask for a tour," answered Guide Gent. "Because you never know. With someone who knows the city, they just might give you clues. Eventually, you'll learn where your answers are. When you see an old man at first glance, people always tend to look away because he's lacking on experience like they did in the old days, but when people stop and accept things from old folks like me, it makes us very happy to learn from young people as well."

Tristan and Hillary smiled. They now felt happy that they accepted Guide Gent's offer to take them around Cherrygrove City considering they were bored with him just moments earlier.

"As a token of my appreciation, please take this." And he handed Tristan a Pokéball. However, this Pokéball was green on the top with four red dots slanting toward the center and a gold dot at the top of the top half.

"Could this be the Friend Ball that Nurse Joy was talking about?" asked Tristan.

"It's the one and only," answered Guide Gent. "This was made from Green Apricorns. Kurt, a good friend of mine, has made good quality Pokéballs from Apricorns for many years. I've had this in my possession since I was your age. And now, since I'm retired, I figured it was time to pass it on to a young Trainer like yourself."

"Wow, Tristan, that's so great!" said Hillary.

"So this is what an Apricorn Pokéball looks like," said Tristan. "I can't wait to show Nurse Joy!"

"She will be very pleased, I'm sure," smiled Guide Gent.

"Thank you so much, sir," said Tristan.

"You're very welcome," smiled Guide Gent as he led them to the front door. "Good luck, young Trainers, and take good care!"

* * *

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra Arrangement)_

At the Pokémon Center, Tristan and Hillary explained everything to Nurse Joy.

"Wow, that's awesome!" smiled Nurse Joy. "I can't believe you found the Friend Ball!"

"Neither can we, Nurse Joy," said Tristan. "I guess it is fun to get the grand tour. Even if the grand tour was hosted by an old expert."

Everyone laughed.

"I guess it's safe to say that you had a fun and successful treasure hunt," smiled Nurse Joy.

"We sure did," replied Tristan.

"Hey, Tristan, maybe you can use that Friend Ball and give Chikorita a new home," suggested Hillary.

"That's a great idea, Hillary," agreed Nurse Joy. "Any Pokémon that gets caught in the Friend Ball increases their friendship with their Trainer."

Tristan looked at Chikorita. "Well, Chikorita, what do you think?"

Chikorita's face glowed with excitement as it hopped off of his shoulder and touched the button on the Friend Ball, which promptly absorbed Chikorita in a red light, which quickly went inside it.

Seconds later, the Friend Ball emitted a tone, signifying that Chikorita had been caught.

Tristan gently picked up the Friend Ball. "Welcome to your new home, Chikorita."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Are you kids hoping to get to the Johto League?" asked Nurse Joy.

"I am, anyway," said Tristan. "We're going to Violet City so I can compete for my first Johto League Badge."

"In that case, you should take the route that's north of Cherrygrove City," suggested Nurse Joy. "It's got wonderful places, including that famous apple orchard."

"I can't wait to see that," said Hillary. "Well, Tristan, are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," answered Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly nodded in agreement.

* * *

_And so, after a rocky start, Chikorita has a new home inside its new Friend Ball that Tristan acquired from the old man named Guide Gent. Now it's on to Violet City and Tristan's first Johto League Gym match!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	11. A LEDIAN A DAY KEEPS THE STORM AWAY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 11 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Arielle from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter, and so do her Ledyba. This chapter has a lot of action in it. This chapter has music cues from Pikachu's Rescue Adventure that are composed and arranged by Ralph Schuckett. That Pikachu short inspired me to write this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary arrive in an apple orchard, hoping to have lunch. But a big storm threatens the orchard and everyone in it. Now they must work together to secure the apples, including Hillary's gutsy Ledyba.**

**Chapter 9: A LEDIAN A DAY KEEPS THE STORM AWAY**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard in the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_Our heroes are still on the road, but today, they decide to stop in an apple orchard across the bridge. And just in time, too, for it's the middle of the day, and they hadn't eaten since breakfast!_

Tristan and Hillary were walking on the road and heard their stomachs grumble.

"Man, I'm so hungry," groaned Tristan.

"Me, too," agreed Hillary. "Any chance of pulling a magic Grandma sandwich out of your bag?"

"Sorry, sis, I'm all out," replied Tristan.

Hillary sat down on the ground. "Now what do we do? The nearest Pokémon Center is so far away."

"I know, and I could really use a bite," added Tristan.

Pikachu moaned in agreement.

Just then, Togepi cried loudly.

"Uh-oh," said Hillary. "Togepi's getting really hungry."

Presently, Tristan and Hillary heard buzzing overhead and looked up.

Sure enough, there were six flying ladybug-like Pokémon with five black spots on their backs. Someone was seen being carried by those Pokémon on a makeshift sling.

"Those look like Ledyba!" said Tristan. "And it looks like they're headed to that forest of trees!"

"It isn't just any forest of trees, Tristan," said Hillary. "It looks like they're headed that way!"

"You're right, sis, they're flying across that river!"

"And there's a bridge!"

Sure enough, there was a bridge leading into an orchard.

"Come on, what are we waiting for?" said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu eagerly ran across the bridge and followed the six flying Ledyba.

* * *

A few moments later, they came to a stop inside the orchard.

"Whoa, check it out," said Tristan.

"Yeah, it's a grove of apple trees!" added Hillary.

"Let's ask somebody if it's okay to snack on those apples," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary.

Just then, they saw a man with a mustache wearing a straw hat driving by on a tractor.

"Hi there," said the man. "I'm Mr. Douglas. I maintain this apple orchard. I assume you're looking for Arielle, right?"

"Arielle?" said Hillary.

"She must be the one with those Ledyba," said Tristan.

"That's right," smiled Mr. Douglas. "Those apple trees should be ripe for the picking. I was just letting her know that the apples are ready to be harvested. I'll let her know that you're visiting." And Mr. Douglas drove away as Tristan and Hillary continued to look at all the apples.

"I've never seen so many apples at one time," said Hillary.

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "Maybe we could feast on some of them."

Presently, they heard friendly buzzing overhead. Then they looked up to see a flock of six ladybug-like Pokémon.

"Those must be Ledyba!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Like the one I have!" added Hillary. "They're so cute." She took out her Pokédex and scanned the Ledbya with it.

_"Ledyba: The Five Star Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"These naturally gentle Bug-types gather in groups during cold weather to keep warm."_

Presently, a young woman with overalls came to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. She had short hair. "So you're the visitors Mr. Douglas told me about. Hi." She turned to the Ledyba. "Okay, Ledyba, let's get to work on the other apple trees over there."

At that instant, the Ledyba flew to the other side of the orchard and began their tasks.

"Hi, there," said Tristan. "My name's Tristan, and this is Pikachu.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted the woman warmly.

"Hello, I'm Hillary," added Hillary.

"My name's Arielle," said the woman. "It's nice to meet you."

"Those Ledyba look like they've been really well-trained," remarked Tristan. "Have you had them long?"

"Oh, yes," replied Arielle. "I've done a lot of training with them. I use this little whistle to call them and train them, particularly in emergencies. But right now, we're working on using the whistle less and less so that they can understand my verbal commands."

"That's really good, Arielle," said Hillary.

"We couldn't help noticing all the apples in this orchard," said Tristan.

"Oh, my Ledyba helped pollinate the trees so that they could produce the apples you see here," explained Arielle.

"They sure look good," said Hillary. "May we please have some?"

"Oh, sure," smiled Arielle. "We're entering our harvesting season, so we're planning to pick some apples off the trees, anyway."

"Thank you so much, Arielle," said Hillary. "Togepi was getting very hungry, anyway." She turned to Tristan. "Hey, Tristan, maybe we can stay for awhile and help Arielle pick the apples off the trees."

"Great idea, Hillary," replied Tristan. "And our Pokémon can help us with the higher places."

"Then it's decided," smiled Arielle.

_(Music Cue: Windy)_

Presently, Mr. Douglas came to Arielle in a big hurry. "Oh, this is terrible!"

"What's wrong, Mr. Douglas?" asked Arielle.

"I just checked the weather forecast, and there's a big storm approaching!" panted Mr. Douglas. "It's a whopper with wind and rain and everything! We'd better hurry and get all the apples off the trees!"

As he spoke, dark clouds were seen in the distance as they began covering the sky.

"We'd better get started right away!" advised Mr. Douglas. "There's no telling what the wind will do with the apples once it begins blowing everything around!" And he raced away.

"I wonder how big that storm's gonna be," said Hillary.

Just then, as the sky got even darker, a big gust of wind came, nearly knocking everyone off their feet.

"Okay, I think we know just how big it's gonna be," said Hillary.

"Okay, everybody, let's get picking," advised Tristan. "There's no time to lose."

"I'll get the Ledyba," said Arielle. And she blew hard into the whistle, which emitted a loud high-pitched noise.

Instantly, the Ledyba stopped pollinating the apple blossoms in the younger trees and flew right to her.

Tristan and Hillary were amazed at Ledyba's quick response.

"We have an emergency," said Arielle. "We need to pick all the ripened apples before the storm blows them away."

The Ledbya nodded and went right to work as Tristan, Pikachu, and Arielle followed.

Quickly, Hillary opened up her backpack. "Get inside where it's safe, Togepi," she advised. She knew that Togepi wouldn't stand a chance in a storm this strong, so she carefully put it inside, closed up her bag, and followed the others to the trees.

"Okay, Arielle, what's our plan of attack?" asked Tristan.

"We'll need all hands on deck for this one, and we'll need to work fast," replied Arielle as she took out some heavy-duty containers. "These should be strong enough to resist the strong winds that come. Get all the ripened apples in them as fast as you can."

"Don't worry, Arielle, we're on the job," said Tristan as she took out his Pokéballs and threw them. "Chikorita, Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, come on out!"

Instantly all four of Tristan's Pokémon emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Ledyba, we need your help, too!" shouted Hillary as he threw her four Pokéballs.

In no time, all four of Hillary's Pokémon emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Okay, everybody, we need you guys to help the Ledyba pick all the apples in the trees and put them in those baskets so they don't get blown away by the storm," instructed Tristan.

All the Pokémon understood Tristan's instructions and got right to work.

"We'd better start picking ourselves," advised Arielle.

"Right," agreed Tristan and Hillary.

Working together, Venusaur and Chikorita used Vine Whip to pick the apples off the tree, and any tight places Venusaur's vines couldn't fit to pick the apples, Chikorita and its vines could.

Pikachu assisted Chikorita in picking the apples and tossed them to Venusaur, who easily caught them in its vines.

Charizard was easily able to fly up and pick apples from many of the trees while Blastoise helped make sure the apples were deposited safely in the heavy-duty containers.

Arielle's six Ledyba and Hillary's own Ledyba worked together to pick all the apples from one tree to the next while Cyndaquil, Squirtle, and Eevee worked together to get them safely in the heavy-duty containers.

Despite the strong winds, Tristan and Hillary were able to climb the trees themselves and pick the apples while Arielle helped secure them.

As the wind got stronger, heavy rain began to fall. Shortly thereafter, lightning flashed in the sky.

"Get down from the trees!" warned Arielle. "The lightning is getting closer!"

In no time at all, everyone managed to climb down from the high points of the trees and make it safely toward the ground.

Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon met up with Arielle after she issued the warning.

"Is everyone here?" asked Arielle.

Everyone nodded.

But then, Tristan noticed that six familiar Pokémon weren't with them. "The Ledyba seem to be missing!"

Everyone gasped in shock at the revelation.

"Ledyba! Ledyba!" called Arielle as she searched frantically for them. She tried blowing into her whistle in an attempt to get them back, but the wind was so strong that it absorbed the high-pitched noise.

Just then, lightning struck close by, and the frantic cries of Arielle's six Ledyba could be heard.

"Ledyba!" cried Arielle as she tried to run toward them.

"Arielle, wait! It's too dangerous!" cried Tristan as he, Hillary, and their Pokémon rushed after her.

Everyone ran to the tree and saw the six Ledyba huddled together high up, trembling with fright as the storm worsened.

"The Ledyba must be too scared to move because of the thunder and lightning," said Hillary, who was most concerned.

"The lightning and thunder have always scared them ever since they were tiny babies," replied Arielle.

Just then, the biggest lightning bolt came out of the sky and headed directly for the tree the six Ledyba were in.

"Ledyba, look out!" cried Arielle as she looked on in fear.

The six Ledyba braced themselves as the lightning bolt kept going right for them.

_(Music Cue: Teamwork (as heard in "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure"))_

Suddenly, Hillary's Ledyba flew higher in the sky and went straight toward the incoming lightning bolt.

"No, Ledyba, please stay back!" cried Hillary. "It's much too dangerous!"

But Ledyba kept going until the lightning bolt struck it directly, causing it to yell out in pain.

"Ledyba!" cried Hillary.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Arielle gasped with worry as they looked on.

Arielle's six Ledyba opened their eyes and saw Hillary's Ledyba taking the hit from the lightning blast.

"That's one gutsy Ledyba," remarked Tristan.

"I know it's trying to do this for my Ledyba, but I don't know how much longer it can take the hit," added Arielle, who was getting rather nervous.

Ledyba continued to take damage from the lightning blast with no regard for its own safety.

"Ledyba..." whispered Hillary under her breath as tears started to form in her eyes. Then seeing how courageous her Ledyba was, she yelled as loud as she could, "YOU CAN DO IT, LEDYBA!"

Then, suddenly, as if an answer to Hillary's cry of encouragement, Ledyba used all its strength to break free of the lightning bolt as it stopped dead in its tracks in the sky. Then, to everyone's surprise, it was bathed in a bright white light.

"Whoa, something's happening to Ledyba!" said Hillary.

"Ledyba's starting to evolve!" gasped Tristan.

Sure enough, Ledyba was evolving as it changed its appearance. When the light faded, it had two red feet, four white fists, a black neck, and a black spot in the middle of its forehead.

"Hillary, your Ledyba just evolved into a Ledian!" said Arielle excitedly.

"That's awesome!" said Hillary.

Ledian was about to agree when suddenly, the strongest gust of wind yet started blowing it higher and higher into the air.

"Ledian!" cried Hillary.

"Quick, Venusaur, use Vine Whip!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur shot two long vines from the flower on its back and managed to grab Ledian with them just in time.

"Great, Venusaur!" said Hillary.

"Okay, everybody, grab on to the vines and let's pull Ledian back here!" instructed Tristan.

All of Tristan's and Hillary's Pokémon grabbed onto Venusaur's vines and started pulling against the strong winds.

Chikorita saw Venusaur, the other Pokémon, and its human friends work so hard to get Ledian back down to the ground safely, so it quickly jumped on top of one of Venusaur's vines and used its Vine Whip to assist Venusaur.

"Looks like Chikorita wants to help, too," said Hillary.

"That's the attitude, Chikorita!" commended Tristan. "Keep it up!"

Arielle's six Ledyba saw how hard Arielle and her friends were working to pull against the force of the strong winds, but soon, they noticed that Tristan, Hillary, Arielle, and their small Pokémon were starting to tire out.

"We can't give up, guys!" grunted Hillary. "Just a little bit more!"

Everyone continued pulling as hard as they could as the six Ledyba watched.

Then, one of the Ledyba turned to the others and motioned them to follow it.

The six Ledyba used their arms to grab on to Venusaur's vines.

"All right!" said Tristan excitedly. "The Ledyba came down to help us out!"

"And they did it on their own, too!" added Hillary. "They must've known that we needed their help!"

"Way to go, Ledyba!" commended Arielle.

"All right, guys, it's now or never!" said Tristan. "Let's give it all we've got!"

The strong winds continued to blow as the rain continued to fall from the sky, but the combined unwavering determination of Tristan, Hillary, Arielle, and their Pokémon was all it took to beat the strong wind gusts.

Presently, the winds and rain started to lighten up, causing things to get easier and easier.

Slowly, but surely, everyone managed to pull Ledian lower and lower toward the ground until finally, Hillary caught Ledian safely in her arms.

"Oh, Ledian, are you okay?" asked Hillary.

Ledian nodded.

"Oh, thank goodness," sighed Hillary as she hugged Ledian tightly in her arms. "You had us all worried. I thought we might lose you."

"But it never lost its guts," replied Arielle. "Ledyba may be timid in nature, but this one proved beyond a doubt that bravery wins in the end."

Tristan and Hillary turned to their Pokémon and congratulated them for a job well done.

"You were all just great," said Tristan. "Thanks for your help."

"We couldn't have done it without you," added Hillary.

All the Pokémon nodded and replied in complete agreement when the rain and winds finally stopped and the dark clouds started to disappear.

"Hey, look!" said Tristan. "The sky's clearing up!"

Sure enough, the clouds cleared up and the sun came out.

"Ah," sighed Hillary. "Now that's what I call a beautiful ending to a scary situation."

Togepi popped its head out of Hillary's bag and chirped in agreement.

* * *

A short time later, everyone saw that the container of apples was secure after the storm, just like Arielle said.

"At least the majority of the apples didn't blow away," said Arielle. She then noticed some still stuck in the trees. "Looks like we still have a few more apples to pick. But I don't know how we're going to get them out of the trees."

"Don't worry, Arielle, we're not gonna quit until the job is done," said Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Hey, Hillary, do you think your Ledian can help us out?"

"After all that it's been through today, I'm sure that it can help out with anything," replied Hillary.

Sure enough, Ledian was willing to help, so it flew to the tree and used its white fists to punch the tree, causing the apples to fall.

Soon, the Ledyba, as if watching their teacher, followed Ledian's lead and punched the tree using their fists, causing the apples to fall toward the ground.

"Wow, did you see that?" said Hillary. She was most impressed.

"They all just used Comet Punch!" said Arielle excitedly.

"Now that's what I call first-class learning," smiled Tristan.

Everyone laughed at the joke.

But suddenly, all six of Arielle's Ledyba were bathed in bright white light at once.

"Guys, check it out!" gasped Tristan in awe.

"They're all starting to evolve!" added Arielle.

The Ledyba were changing shape as they evolved, and when they had finished, they looked exactly like Hillary's Ledian.

"I've never seen anything like this!" said Hillary as she scanned Ledian with her Pokédex named Dexter.

_"Ledian: The Five Star Pokémon: The evolved form of Ledyba," _identified Dexter. _"The spots on the Ledian's back are said to react to the stars in the night sky."_

"This is so awesome!" said Hillary.

"Hey, do you know what this calls for?" said Tristan. "An apple party!"

"That's a great idea, Tristan!" said Arielle. "And after everything that went on today, I think we all earned it."

Everyone agreed.

* * *

Late that afternoon, everyone had set up a picnic with ripe juicy apples to share.

Even Mr. Douglas came to the picnic to partake in the feast. "I must say, Arielle," he said, "you and your friends did a great job of keeping the apple crop safe, especially during that storm."

"Oh, it was no big deal, sir," replied Tristan. "We were just happy to help out."

"And we're all glad that it all worked out, too, right, Ledian?" added Hillary

Hillary's Ledian agreed.

"And the best part is we get to share all these delicious apples," smiled Arielle.

Mr. Douglas nodded in agreement.

All the Pokémon were especially happy with the sweet juicy taste of the apples as they ate alongside their Trainers.

Tristan turned to Hillary and said, "You should be proud, too, Hillary. You've raised a very brave and strong Pokémon."

"Well, I didn't do it all," chuckled Hillary. "We all did it together."

"Well, I guess the best thing to say is we owe it all to teamwork," smiled Arielle.

"You said it, Arielle," replied Mr. Douglas.

Everyone happily continued to feast on the apples for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were getting ready to leave the orchard.

"I don't know how to thank you, guys," said Arielle. "If you hadn't come along, we wouldn't have saved all the apples from that big storm."

"We're the ones who should be thanking you," replied Tristan. "And Mr. Douglas, of course."

"That apple feast was really good," added Hillary. "But what really excited me today was seeing my Ledyba and your Ledyba evolve into Ledian."

"That was pretty good, wasn't it?" smiled Arielle.

"Well, we'd better get going, Arielle," said Hillary.

But just then, Ledian came to Hillary and told her something.

"What is it, Ledian?" asked Hillary.

Ledian pointed to the other six Ledian flying right next to Arielle.

"It looks like your Ledian wants to stay with my Ledian and help them out in the orchard," said Arielle.

_(Music Cue: Such Sweet Sorrow)_

This came as a bit of a shock to Hillary. "Oh, Ledian..."

Ledian sadly flew and put its white fists in Hillary's hands.

"I know," said Hillary. "I know we've been together for awhile. But I know that even though our time together was short, we're lucky we knew you at all."

* * *

Hillary closed her eyes and thought back to when she first saw the flock of Ledyba on Tangelo Island. She remembered seeing one fly out of the bushes and used Squirtle to weaken it and capture it in a PokéBall. Next she thought back to when she and Ledyba ate lunch together along with the rest of hers and Tristan's Pokémon as well as Braden, Evan, and their Pokémon in Kanto. Finally, she thought back to the events of earlier today when her Ledyba evolved into Ledian after getting struck by the pulverizing bolt of lightning.

* * *

Hillary took Ledian and embraced it in her arms as tears began to fall from her eyes. "I'll miss you, Ledian," she said. "But I know these Ledian need you to help them right now. You'll do very well."

There was a long tearful moment of silence between Hillary and Ledian as they continued to hug each other one last time.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi watched, as they all felt happy and sad for Hillary all at the same time.

Then slowly, Hillary let Ledian go, and it flew into the sky to join Arielle's six Ledian.

Hillary took out Ledian's Pokéball and gave it to Arielle. "Please take good care of Ledian, won't you?"

"Of course," smiled Arielle. "Mr. Douglas will be sure to take good care of it, too. And thanks to your Ledian, we'll be able to produce even more delicious apples for years to come."

"We're looking forward to it, Arielle," replied Tristan. "See you later."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu started leaving the orchard.

"Goodbye, guys! And take care!" called Arielle.

"Bye, Arielle!" called Tristan as he and Pikachu waved to her.

"Bye, Ledian!" added Hillary. "Take care! I'll miss you!"

Arielle's six Ledian and Hillary's Ledian flew in the sky and waved goodbye to Hillary as she and her friends continued walking until they were out of sight.

* * *

_And so, thanks to teamwork, a whole apple orchard is safe after a big storm. And even though Hillary and Ledian go their seperate ways, they know that in their hearts, they will always be together._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	12. SCHOOL'S IN SESSION

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 12 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This chapter is based on some of the Trainers players face on _Pokémon Stadium 2 _on the Nintendo 64. Plus, Miss Priscilla and Earl Dervish from the anime make appearances in this chapter. So do Swimmer Julian, Camper Cole, and Youngster Jonathan. Any questions? Feel free to ask me. I DO NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known Pokémon names are trademarks of Nintendo.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary finally arrive in Violet City for Tristan's first Johto League Gym battle, but first, they get a crash course in battling other Trainers to test their skills at Earl's Pokémon Academy.**

**Chapter 12: SCHOOL'S IN SESSION**

_Our heroes have made it to Violet City. It's here that Tristan plans to earn his first Johto League Badge. But they might have to go to school to learn how to battle effectively._

Tristan, Hillary and Pikachu were walking ghrough the suburban outskirts of Violet City as the sun shone.

"I can't believe we're here already," said Hillary.

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"Yeah, and I can hardly wait to get my first badge," added Tristan.

Pikachu eagerly agreed.

"Now where is the Gym?" asked Tristan.

Presently, an overweight man dancing in a tutu showed up. "Well, now, you must be two new students!"

Tristan and Hillary shrugged.

"Well, we're actually Pokémon Trainers..." began Tristan.

"And we were on our way to the Gym..." added Hillary.

"It's time to dance our way to school!" said the man, and, with a spin, he spun Tristan and Hillary off to their destination, dancing as he went.

* * *

A short time later, Tristan and Hillary found themselves at an old-fashioned building that resembled a school.

"Well, here we are!" said the man. "This is Earl's Pokémon Academy. I"m the principal, Earl Dervish."

"That's...great," said a dazed Tristan and Hillary, who were still dizzy from spinning around.

"Well, let's not waste time, my little children," smiled Earl. "Come on inside." And he happily waltzed inside the building and into a classroom full of young students.

A young lady with dark blue hair saw Earl with Tristan and Hillary. "Well, what do we have today?"

"These are two young Trainers who have come here to learn as students," answered Earl.

"We never said that!" protested Tristan and Hillary together.

The lady was a little surprised.

"We only came to Violet City so I could compete for a Gym badge," explained Tristan.

"Yeah, until Earl here dragged us all the way here to this school," put in Hillary.

The young lady chuckled. "Oh, that's just Earl's way of expressing his enthusiasm. Hi, I'm Miss Priscilla. I teach my young students here on how to become good Trainers."

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Priscilla," replied Tristan. "I'm Tristan from New Bark Town."

"Pika, Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"And I'm Hillary," put in Hillary. "It's nice to meet you."

"Now, I have other matters to tend to," said Earl. "Students, please be sure to give these two Trainers a crash course in battling today, all right?"

"Yes, Principal Earl," replied the students as Earl closed the door.

"What did Earl mean by 'crash course,' Miss Priscilla?" asked Hillary.

"You see," explained Miss Priscilla. "Every Pokémon battle has a few conditions that go along with it. Why don't I take you all outside and maybe some of them can demonstrate what they can do?"

The students agreed to the idea.

* * *

Just outside the building, Tristan, Hillary, Miss Priscilla, and her young students were waiting for another class to come outside.

Presently, an older group of young people ran outside to greet Miss Priscilla.

"Who are they?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, that's a group of older students that I used to teach about two years ago," answered Miss Priscilla. "They're working on some advanced techniques on being even better Trainers than they are today." She turned to the older kids. "Guys, these two Trainers have come here to learn all they can on being good battlers, so be sure to do your best and help them, okay?"

"Yes, Miss Priscilla," the older students replied.

An older kid in camping gear came forward. "My name is Cole, want to go first," he said. "I want to challenge the girl."

Hillary was taken aback at first, but then she eagerly came forward. "I accept your challenge. I haven't been a Trainer for very long, but I don't want you going easy on me."

"Yeah," said Cole. "Trainers with spunk are the most fun to beat."

* * *

A moment later, Hillary and Julian faced each other while Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi watched.

"Let's battle one-on-one," suggested Cole.

"That's fine by me," replied Hillary.

"I'll start with Exeggutor!" said Cole as he threw a PokéBall.

A Pokémon resembling a coconut tree emerged from the white that shot out of it.

"Wow, an Exeggutor!" said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Exeggutor: The Coconut Pokémon: The evolved form of Exeggcute," _identified Dexter. _"Exeggutor's heads think independently. However, they are friendly and never appear to squabble."_

"Go, Cyndaquil, I choose you!" shouted Hillary as she threw a PokéBall.

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"That Cyndaquil may be a Fire-type, but I'm still gonna beat it anyway," said Cole. "Go, Exeggutor, Mega Drain!"

Exeggutor'e eyes glowed yellow and shot a beam of yellow energy at Cyndaquil, who took the hit from it.

Cyndaquil strained as it got hit, but it didn't seem to be taking much damage at all.

_Why is he using Mega Drain? _thought Hillary. _And how can Cyndaquil still be standing?_

"I see," said Tristan. "Even though Mega Drain is doing damage, it doesn't work very well against a Fire-type like Cyndaquil."

"That makes sense!" said Hillary. "Now, it's time for my first attack! Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

Cyndaquil lit its flame from the four holes on its back, then it shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Exeggutor.

"All right!" said Hillary excitedly.

"That must mean Fire attacks work well against Grass Pokémon." said Tristan as he thought back on his battles against some of the Grass-type Pokémon in the past, including those of Celadon City's Gym Leader, Erika.

"Exeggutor, try another Mega Drain!" commanded Cole.

"I won't fall for that again, Cole," said Hillary. "Knock it off balance with Quick Attack!"

Like a shot, Cyndaquil sped toward Exeggutor with a white line trailing behind it, and hit it hard.

However, Exeggutor was still on its feet.

"Quick, use another Flamethrower!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot another powerful stream of fire from its mouth, delivering the final blow to Exeggutor and knocking it out.

"Exeggutor!" cried Cole.

"Awesome job, Cyndaquil," commended Hillary.

Cyndaquil gave a happy reply as it hoped up and down.

"Cyndaquil sure seems happy," remarked Miss Priscilla.

"Hillary and Cyndaquil sure earned that one," said Tristan.

Just then, an older kid wearing a cap came forward to challenge Hillary to battle. "I'm Jonathan. You may have won against my friend, Cole, but you'll never win against me as easily."

"Oh, yeah? Try me," replied Hillary.

"I choose Ivysaur!" shouted Jonathan as he threw a PokéBall.

Jonathan's Ivysaur emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"That Ivysaur looks pretty strong," said Hillary nervously as she looked it up in her Pokédex.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in the Japanese version of "From Ghost to Ghost"))_

_"Ivysaur: The Seed Pokémon: The evolved form of Bulbasaur," _identified Dexter. _"The bulb on its back grows as it absorbs nutrients. The bulb gives off a pleasant aroma when it blooms."_

"Cyndaquil, why don't you watch this one?" suggested Hillary. "I'm gonna show him a surprise." She took out a PokéBall and threw it. "Squirtle, let's do it!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

Tristan was surprised. "Why is Hillary using Squirtle? She should know that Water attacks won't do much against Grass Pokémon like Ivysaur."

_I believe in you, Squirtle, _thought Hillary. _We may have the disadvantage, but I know our friendship and trust will help us get through._

"Let's win this with one attack, Ivysaur!" commanded Jonathan. "SolarBeam!"

"SolarBeam? Already?" gasped Hillary.

Ivysaur began absorbing energy from the sun into the bud on its back.

"Hillary, maybe you can stop Ivysaur while it's still absorbing energy!" shouted Tristan.

_Tristan's right, _thought Hillary. _SolarBeam takes awhile to charge up. _"Quick, Squirtle, hit it hard with your Water Gun!" she shouted.

In a twinkling, Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Ivysaur. It did score a hit, but the type advantage allowed Ivysaur to stay in the battle as it continued getting ready to launch SolarBeam.

"Keep squirting as hard as you can, Squirtle!" encouraged Hillary. "Ivysaur will wear down sooner or later!"

Squirtle continued to blast Ivysaur with everything it had using Water Gun; however, Ivysaur showed no signs of fatigue because of its resistance to Water Gun. Unfortunately, Squirtle ran out of power to use Water Gun, causing the blast of water to trickle and stop.

"Oh, no!" cried Hillary.

There was worse to come, for Ivysaur's SolarBeam was ready to go.

"Ivysaur, strike now!" commanded Jonathan.

Ivysaur launched a powerful beam of energy from the bud on its back directly at Squirtle.

"Look out, Squirtle!" cried Tristan.

"Pika, Pika!" cried Pikachu.

"Quick, Squirtle, protect yourself!" shouted Hillary.

All of a sudden, Squirtle's body became outlined in blue, and as Ivysaur's SolarBeam struck it, the attack stopped dead in its tracks.

Everyone was surprised, especially Jonathan, who didn't expect Squirtle to survive a SolarBeam.

"I don't believe it," gasped Miss Priscilla.

"Squirtle just absorbed the SolarBeam like it was nothing," added Tristan.

Hillary checked out the move on her Pokédex.

_"Protect," _said Dexter. _"It protects the user from attacks that target it, including offensive attacks. However, if used in succession, it may fail."_

"Sounds like I'd better be careful using that attack," said Hillary to herself. Then she took a good look at Ivysaur. Even though it had taken little damage from Squirtle's Water Gun attacks, it couldn't do another SolarBeam right then, for there was no sunlight in Ivysaur's bud. "Quick, Squirtle, use your Tackle attack!"

_(Music Cue: S.S. Aqua (as heard in "The Fire-ing Squad"))_

Squirtle charged at Ivysaur and hit it head on, knocking it backward.

"Ivysaur!" cried Jonathan.

Ivysaur dug in its heels and hung on.

"I think Hillary may have just found a weakness in Ivysaur's SolarBeam," said Tristan.

Pikachu cheered for Hillary and Squirtle.

"Ivysaur, quick, you've gotta do another SolarBeam attack!" cried Jonathan.

Ivysaur started absorbing sunlight into the bud on its back.

However, Hillary wasn't going to wait around for it. "All right, Squirtle, use another Tackle attack!"

Squirtle charged full-body style and scored another direct hit.

Ivysaur was still far from ready to attack with SolarBeam.

"Follow up with Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle shot another powerful stream of water at Ivysaur. Even though Water Gun was doing little damage, it was still getting the job done.

But soon, Ivysaur's SolarBeam was all charged up.

Squirtle stopped its Water Gun attack and prepared to react.

"Ivysaur, SolarBeam now!" yelled Jonathan.

Sure enough, a powerful beam of energy was launched from Ivysaur's bud straight at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use Protect!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle did a protective pose and its body was outlined in blue, and as SolarBeam hit it, it was cancelled out.

Ivysaur had tired out from its last two SolarBeams, and panted wearily.

"Ivysaur, stay strong!" encouraged Jonathan.

"Squirtle, end it with a Tackle attack!" shouted Hillary.

Squirtle charged at Ivysaur as fast as it could and rammed it hard, sending it flying backward.

"Ivysaur, no!" cried Jonathan.

Ivysaur crashed into the ground, forming a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, Ivysaur was seen with a dazed expression on its face. It had been knocked out.

"Hillary and Squirtle are the winners!" declared Miss Priscilla.

"Awesome, Squirtle!" commended Hillary.

Tristan came to Hillary and Squirtle with Pikachu right beside him. "You two never cease to amaze me," he said.

"Thanks, Tristan, but it's Squirtle that deserves the credit," replied Hillary.

Presently, a female swimmer came up. "I wanna challenge the boy!" she said.

"What? Who, me?" Tristan was a little puzzled.

"Yeah, you!" said the swimmer. "My name's Julian. That girlfriend of yours beat two of my best friends, and now there's a 100% chance that you're gonna lose! Let's battle using only one Pokémon each!"

"You're on, Julian," replied Tristan. He was always eager to accept a battle challenge.

Tristan and Julian faced each other while Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi watched.

"Go, Staryu!" shouted Julian as she threw a Pokéball.

A golden brown starfish Pokémon with five appendages emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a red gem in the middle.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

_"Staryu: The Star Shape Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon's center point glows like a human heartbeat at night."_

"I choose you...Chikorita!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball.

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"You'll never beat my strategy, kid!" said Julian. "Staryu, Water Gun attack!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Tunnel Vision"))_

Staryu shot a blast of water from its top appendage at Chikorita.

"Dodge it, Chikorita!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita jumped into the air and avoided Staryu's Water Gun.

"Chikorita, Vine Whip attack!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita shot two vines from its bud necklace and hit Staryu with them.

"Not bad, kid, but you'll never beat this part of my strategy," said Julian. "Staryu, Rain Dance!"

"What'a a Rain Dance do?" wondered Tristan.

Staryu shot a powerful orb of water into the sky directly at the sun.

Shortly thereafter, rain clouds formed in the sky and heavy raindrops began to fall, soaking everything and everybody.

"Hey, what is this?" demanded Tristan. "The weather forecast didn't predict this!"

"Anybody got an umbrella?" asked Hillary.

"That's what Rain Dance does," replied Julian. "It changes the weather so that Water attacks will get even stronger. Okay, Staryu, show that Chikorita what a new and improved Water Gun attack looks like!"

Staryu shot another blast of water from its top appendage at Chikorita. Sure enough, thanks to Rain Dance, Water Gun's velocity and speed increased, and it scored a direct hit on Chikorita, causing it to fall backward.

"Chikorita, can you stand up?" asked Tristan.

Chikorita struggled until it got back on its feet.

"All right, Julian, this battle's still on," said Tristan.

"Not for long it's not," replied Julian. "Now it's time for part two of my strategy. Staryu, hit it with a Thunder attack!"

Staryu shot a powerful bolt of electricity toward the storm clouds.

Seconds later, lightning began to flash and fall down toward the ground straight toward Chikorita.

"Run! Get away from it!" cried Tristan.

Chikorita scurried away from Staryu's Thunder attack as fast as its little legs could carry it. But as fast as it ran, the lightning continued to follow it wherever it fell.

"You amateur," smirked Julian. "As long as Rain Dance is in effect, Thunder is always a guaranteed hit."

And hit it did, for it struck Chikorita full force, causing it to collapse.

"Chikorita's been hit!" cried Hillary.

"Ha! Looks like I win, kid!" said Julian.

But Julian's victory was short lived, for she saw Chikorita struggling desperately to stand up.

Tristan couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't believe that Chikorita would want to keep going.

But Chikorita had plenty of spirit left, for once it got on its feet, its eyes got all fiery, and it shot a beam of energy toward the sky.

Seconds later, the sky cleared up, causing the sun to shine even brighter than before when the battle began.

"Hey, that sunlight's too bright!" complained Julian.

"Anybody got a pair of sunglasses?" asked Hillary. "I don't think the weathermen predicted this wild weather day."

"Whoa, I think Chikorita used Sunny Day," said Miss Priscilla.

"It must've cancelled out the Rain Dance," said Tristan. "All right, Chikorita, let's show them what you can do!"

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra & Guitar Arrangement (as heard in "Spinarak Attack"))_

Chikorita nodded, and before anyone knew what was happening, Chikorita lifted the leaf on its head.

The leaf began to glow in a white light, and almost immediately, it shot a powerful beam of energy from its mouth at Staryu, scoring a huge direct hit.

"Staryu!" cried Julian.

Everyone was surprised.

Especially Hillary. "Chikorita just used a SolarBeam attack!"

"I can't believe it!" gasped Miss Priscilla. "Two new attacks in one day!"

"That must mean that while Sunny Day is in effect, SolarBeam doesn't need time to charge up," said Tristan. "All right, this is great!" He then turned his attention back to the battle. "Chikorita, that Sunny Day and SolarBeam combination was awesome! Now we'll be able to beat Staryu!"

Chikorita nodded as it gave a happy reply.

Staryu managed to get back up at that moment.

"Hurry, Staryu, use your Water Gun on that Chikorita at full power!" yelled Julian.

Staryu shot its most powerful Water Gun attack it could use at Chikorita, but unfortunately, thanks to Sunny Day, the power of its Water Gun wasn't as powerful as it was before.

"Chikorita, block it with Razor Leaf!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Staryu's weakened Water Gun, successfully blocking it.

"That's impossible!" gasped Julian. "Why isn't Water Gun working?"

"Rain Dance may have been able to double the strength of Water attacks, but with Sunny Day, those attacks get cut in half!" said Hillary. "Tristan's making excellent use of the weather conditions!"

"Quick, Chikorita, finish it off with SolarBeam!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita's leaf quickly glowed white, and wasting no time, it shot another powerful beam of energy from its mouth, scoring another huge direct hit on Staryu, sending it flying backward.

"No, Staryu!" cried Julian.

Staryu crashed into the ground, causing a cloud of dust to form.

The dust soon cleared, and Staryu lay flat on the ground as its red gem flashed repeatedly, signifying that it had been knocked out.

"Staryu is unable to battle!" declared Miss Priscilla. "Chikorita wins, and the victory goes to Tristan!"

Chikorita glowed with delight and ran into Tristan's arms.

"You did it, Chikorita!" commended Tristan. "I'm so proud of you."

Chikorita gave happy replies as it embraced its Trainer.

"I...lost?" gasped Julian as tears began to form in her eyes. Then she began to cry hysterically. "It's not fair! Why did I have to lose?! My powerful Rain Dance and Thunder combo was rendered useless thanks to that good-for-nothing Sunny Day and SolarBeam! That's just so mean!"

Miss Priscilla came to Julian. "It's perfectly fair, Julian," she said. "And you gave Tristan and his Chikorita a difficult challenge. You should be very proud of the fact that you taught Staryu a good combination, too."

Julian stopped crying right then and wiped her eyes. "You're right, Miss Priscilla. The Rain Dance and Thunder combo was good, wasn't it?"

Everyone nodded.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Julian came to Tristan. "Congratulations, Tristan," she said. "Your Chikorita's attacks are strong."

"Thanks, Julian," replied Tristan. "You were a tough opponent. And I know you're gonna be a great Pokémon Trainer."

Tristan and Julian shook hands as everyone happily looked on.

* * *

That evening, Tristan and Hillary got ready to leave the school.

"So, I hear you're wanting to compete in the Johto League, right, Tristan?" asked Miss Priscilla.

"That's right," replied Tristan. "I've been wanting to get my first Johto League badge for a long time."

"Actually, you've been wanting to get it for a few days," corrected Hillary.

"Well, why don't you check out the Sprout Tower first?" suggested Miss Priscilla. "You'll get a few hours of training in."

"I could certainly use that," replied Hillary.

"And remember, feel free to come visit the school anytime when it's in session," reminded Earl. "We'll do some more dancing together."

"I think we'll pass on that dance," said Tristan and Hillary together as they started to leave.

"Bye, guys!" called Miss Priscilla. "Good luck with your Gym Battle, Tristan!"

"Thank you!" called Tristan as she and Hillary waved back and headed over to the Pokémon Center for the night.

* * *

_Our heroes attended a few classes, had a few battles, and even had some surprises from their Pokémon. But what will happen in the Sprout Tower, let alone Tristan's first Johto League Gym match? You'll have to stay tuned!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	13. THE SPROUT TOWER

**AUTHOR"S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 13 of the Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Johto. This chapter is based on my experiences in the Sprout Tower with the Sages in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. Enjoy!**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary do some training in the Sprout Tower, but defeating a few wise monks won't be a walk in the park for them!**

**Chapter 13: THE SPROUT TOWER**

_(Music Cue: Mystical Story)_

_Today, our heroes are still in Violet City, site of Tristan's first Johto League Gym match. But today, they've decided to stop at the Sprout Tower for some training._

Tristan and Hillary were walking through the streets of Violet City the next morning and stopped at a three-tier building.

"I wonder if this is the Sprout Tower that Miss Priscilla talked about?" said Tristan.

"It has to be," replied Hillary. "It's the tallest building in Violet City. Let's go inside and check it out."

Pikachu agreed while Togepi chirped happily as they and their Trainers walked inside.

* * *

Meanwhile on the top floor inside the building, several monks were busy meditating when their leader spoke up.

"I hate to interrupt our meditations," he said, "but I recently received word from Earl's Pokémon Academy that two Trainers were on their way over here today."

One of the monks became uneasy. "Are they bad people, Master Li?"

"Not to worry," Master Li replied. "These Trainers are pure of heart. Actually, they're brother and sister. They're as close as family, if not closer. So, today, we're going to demonstrate the art of the Pokémon battle by battling against them. We will each take turns battling them, one by one, so let's spread out."

"Yes, sir!" agreed the monks.

Just out of sight, a red-haired boy saw Li and his monks preparing to battle the two Trainers. It was Silver. "There'd better be some strong Pokémon here," he said impatiently.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary saw the pillar in the center of the tower swaying back and forth.

"I've never seen a pillar moving back and forth before," said Tristan.

Hillary agreed. "It sort of reminds me of a Pokémon I once saw before."

"That's because it's exactly like one," said a voice.

Tristan and Hillary were startled. They didn't expect one of the monks to sneak up behind them.

"Pardon me for scaring you the way I did," said the monk. "My name is Nico, and I'd like to challenge one of you to a battle. This request is from my master."

"Sure, we'd be happy to battle you," replied Tristan.

"May I battle him, please, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Sure," answered Tristan. "There's no stopping you, is there?"

"All right," said Nico. "We'll battle one-on-one with no substitutions."

"Fine with me," replied Hillary as she faced Nico. She turned to Tristan and handed Togepi to him to babysit. Then she took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "I choose Eevee!"

Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"And I will choose this Pokémon," said Nico calmly as he took out a Poké Ball.

The PokéBall opened and a Pokémon with a bell-like head and stem-like brown body emerged from the white light that came out of it.

Tristan recognized it immediately. "It's a Bellsprout!" He then looked it up in his Pokédex.

_"Bellsprout: The Flower Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Bellsprout plants its feet deep underground to replenish water. It can't escape its enemy while its rooted."_

"Now I'm beginning to understand why that pillar sways like that," said Tristan.

Hillary agreed. "Everything starts out small, including a Bellsprout. I guess the swaying pillar is like how a Bellsprout moves, right?"

"That is correct," replied Nico. "You 'sprouts' catch on quick."

"I'm ready to battle whenever you are," said Hillary.

"We'll let you make the first move," replied Nico.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"I like how you think," said Hillary eagerly. "Eevee, start off with a Tackle attack!"

Eevee charged at Bellsprout full-body style.

But Nico and Bellsprout just stood there, as if nothing was happening.

Tristan was confused. _How could Nico be so calm? _he thought.

Closer and closer Eevee got to Bellsprout until...

"Vine Whip," instructed Nico.

On Nico's command, Bellsprout launched two green vines from its leaves and managed to trip Eevee, causing it to fall on the ground.

Hillary became worried. "Eevee, are you okay?"

Eevee nodded and got back up.

_So that's why that Bellsprout just stood there, _thought Tristan. _He wanted Eevee to get as close as possible, and then, when it did, he really let Eevee have it."_

"Now, if you don't mind, young lady, it's our turn to attack," smiled Nico. "Bellsprout, show Eevee your PoisonPowder."

Bellsprout shot a cloud of purple poisonous powder toward Eevee.

"Quick, Eevee, use your Sand-Attack!" ordered Hillary.

Quickly, Eevee turned around and kicked as much sand as it could toward Bellsprout's PoisonPowder.

Thanks to Hillary's quick thinking, Bellsprout's attack was cancelled out.

"Interesting," said Nico. "That Eevee of yours has been well-trained."

"All right, give it a Quick Attack!" ordered Hillary.

Eevee charged at Bellsprout again, but this time with a white line trailing behind it. It ran so hard and so fast that it rammed into Bellsprout with a vengeance, causing it to collapse in a heap.

Bellsprout had been knocked out.

"Looks like a loss for me," said Nico as he returned Bellsprout to its Poké Ball.

"Eevee, way to go!" commended Hillary as she stroked it on the head.

Eevee gave a happy reply.

Hillary then returned Eevee to its Poké Ball for a well-deserved rest.

Presently, some more monks came in. They had the same hairstyle as Nico did.

"Greetings," one said. "My name is Chow."

"My name is Edmund," said another.

"My name is Jin," said a third.

"My name is Neal," said a fourth.

"And my name is Troy," said a fifth.

Hillary was surprised. "Wow. That's a lot of old guys."

"In the same style of clothing," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"We just wanted to come and see how Nico's battle turned out," said Chow. "But now we know that the young girl won. Pretty good, right?"

The other monks agreed.

"So we thought that one of us should test you one more time to see how you really fare," added Edmund.

"And I think the best choice would be the strongest out of all our master's servants," put in Jin.

Neal agreed. "You're quite right, and Troy would be the best choice."

Troy came forward. "It is indeed an honor." He turned to Hillary. "So, young girl, are you up for another one-on-one battle?"

"I know I am," answered Hillary.

"Good," said Troy. "I shall send out my Pokémon, Hoothoot." He took out a Poké Ball, which opened, and a small owl-like Pokémon with big red eyes emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Hillary was puzzled. "Why Hoothoot?"

"Most of us have battled with Bellsprout over the course of many years, training new Trainers and getting them accustomed to battling," explained Troy. "But I wanted to see how well I can do by using Hoothoot."

"That makes sense," replied Hillary. "Okay, I've made my choice. Let's go, Cyndaquil!" She threw a Poké Ball.

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Ah, a Cyndaquil," said Troy. "I'm anxious to see how you will use that Pokémon."

"Go, Cyndaquil, use your Tackle attack!" commanded Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "A Ghost of a Chance"))_

Cyndaquil charged at Hoothoot full-body style.

"Hoothoot, fly away," instructed Troy.

Hoothoot flapped its little wings and flew above the ground, much to Cyndaquil and Hillary's surprise.

"That Hoothoot flies?!" gasped Hillary.

"Hoothoot's wings may be short, but it can surely fly," said Troy.

"Let's try Flamethrower instead!" said Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited its flame from the four holes on its back, then it shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth at Hoothoot.

"Fly away again, Hoothoot," instructed Troy.

Hoothoot flapped its wings and narrowly dodged Cyndaquil's Flamethrower.

_That Hoothoot's really good at dodging attacks,_ thought Hillary. _I'll just have to find a way to confuse it. _"All right, Cyndaquil, use your Smokescreen!" she shouted.

Cyndaquil shot a black cloud of smoke from its mouth at Hoothoot.

"All right!" said Hillary. "That should blind it just enough for me to attack it."

"Use Foresight," instructed Troy.

Hoothoot's eyes glowed in a red light. Instantly, it could see Cyndaquil in the thick smoke.

"Now Tackle it," commanded Troy.

Hoothoot dove down on Cyndaquil through the thick smoke and scored a very hard hit on it, much to everyone else's surprise.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

Cyndaquil was sent flying past Hillary into one of the walls, knocking it out.

Hillary quickly rushed over to Cyndaquil. "Are you okay?"

Cyndaquil gave a weak reply.

"You were great," said Hillary as she took out Cyndaquil's Poké Ball. "Have yourself a good rest." And she returned Cyndaquil inside the Poké Ball.

"Exemplary work, young lady," smiled Troy. "That Cyndaquil of yours is quite agile."

"Thanks, Troy, but we still need to do some training," replied Hillary. "I've only had Cyndaquil for a few days."

"But in that short amount of time, you've trained it very well," said Troy.

Hillary felt better after that.

Just then, loud noises could be heard on the floor above.

"What was that?" asked Tristan.

"Another of our visitors is up there with Master Li," answered Troy. "Let's all go up and see." And he led Tristan and Hillary and his fellow monks up the stairs to the top floor.

* * *

On the top floor, another monk just saw his Bellsprout get defeated by a Totodile and its Trainer.

The Trainer had red hair. Sure enough, it was Silver. "How pathetic," he said. "You say my Totodile has a type disadvantage against a Bellsprout. But I proved you wrong."

The monk returned his Bellsprout to his PokéBall.

Master Li was watching very closely and came to Silver. "You are, indeed a very skilled Trainer, young man," he said. "However, the way you're treating your Pokémon can be a bit too harsh."

Silver took offense to that. "What did you say?!"

"What I'm saying is that Pokémon aren't tools of war," explained Master Li. "You should treat your Totodile better."

Presently, footsteps could be heard racing toward him and Silver.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Troy, and his fellow monks made their appearance.

Silver turned around and saw them. "Hmph! I knew you'd show up." He turned to the monk he had just defeated. "He claims to be experienced in battle, yet he was no match for me. He was far too weak. I hate the weak."

"He's not weak!" exclaimed Hillary. She was most upset by Silver's remark.

"Okay, take it easy, Hillary," whispered Tristan. He didn't want to see Hillary get into trouble like she did in the thick, dark forest.

"Those who lecture me and tell me that I should be 'nice' to Pokémon are no match against me," continued Silver. "All I care about are strong Pokémon that'll win me battle after battle, time after time. The rest of them don't mean a thing to me." And he took out a long rope, tied it tight to a pole, and started to leave.

"Hey, you get back here!" ordered Hillary.

"This place was a complete waste of my time," said Silver. "I'm outta here." And he slid down the rope out of the window, and soon disappeared out of sight.

"That was weird," whispered Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

Hillary clenched her fists in anger. "The next time I see him, I'm gonna win, and he's gonna lose!"

"Now, for you two," said Master Li as he walked up to Tristan and Hillary. "It's so good of you to have come here. Who wants to battle me two-on-two?"

"I will," answered Tristan. "I have a Gym battle coming up, and I want to see how well I can do."

"Very well," said Master Li. "I'll start with Bellsprout." He took out a Poké Ball, and it opened.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis"))_

Master Li's Bellsprout emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"He's got a Bellsprout, too!" gasped Hillary.

"As you know, Sprout Tower is a place for Pokémon Trainers come to train," explained Master Li. "Trainers and their Pokémon test their bonds to build their future together. I am the final test. Please allow me to check the ties between you and your Pokémon."

"Chikorita, go!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Poké Ball.

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, you're using a Grass Pokémon," said Master Li. "We'll see how strong it really is. Bellsprout, start of with Vine Whip."

Bellsprout shot two green vines from its body at Chikorita.

"Chikorita, battle back with your Vine Whip!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita shot two green vines from its bud necklace.

Sure enough, the two Vine Whip attacks caught on to each other as both Chikorita and Bellsprout struggled to maintain control.

"Hm, it seems like we're evenly matched," smiled Master Li.

"Chikorita, use Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita, still holding on to Bellsprout's vines with its vines, shot a barrage of razor-sharp leaves at Bellsprout.

The leaves battered Bellsprout one by one.

"Clever," remarked Master Li. "Let's use Sleep Powder, Bellsprout."

Bellsprout unleashed a silver cloud of sleeping powder at Chikorita.

"Quick, Chikorita, get out of the way!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita let go of Bellsprout's vines and jumped as high as it could to avoid Bellsprout's Sleep Powder.

"Phew!" said Hillary. "That was close."

"Now use your Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita, still in midair, charged at Bellsprout and scored a direct hit on it, sending it flying.

Bellsprout crashed into one of the walls, knocking it out on the spot, much to the surprise of the other monks.

"Ah, excellent," said Master Li as he returned Bellsprout to its Poké Ball.

Chikorita happily ran back to Tristan.

"Amazing job, Chikorita," commended Tristan as he gently stroked it.

"I see that you and your Chikorita have gotten really close," remarked Master Li. "How long have you had it?"

"Not very long, actually," answered Tristan. "I had just gotten it a few days ago in New Bark Town."

"It's obvious that you have a real close bond with all of your Pokémon no matter how long you've had them," smiled Master Li. "But enough of that. Let's move on. I shall send out my Hoothoot next." He took out a Poké Ball, which opened.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Hot Matches"))_

Hoothoot emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"You have a Hoothoot, too?" asked Hillary.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with starting off as a sprout, right?" replied Master Li. "I like Bellsprout, but I wanted to catch a Hoothoot to see how Trainers react to surprises like this one."

_Chikorita's been doing well,_ thought Tristan. _However, if I let it battle Hoothoot, it'll be at a type disadvantage. I have to make a decision._

"Poor Tristan," said Hillary to herself. "What'll he do now?"

"I'll stay with Chikorita," said Tristan aloud.

Hillary was shocked. She wasn't expecting Tristan to make that move.

"Very well, then," said Master Li. "Hoothoot, are you ready for this?"

Hoothoot replied with a hoot.

"Good, then let's start off by flying into the air!" instructed Master Li.

Hoothoot flapped its short wings and was instantly airborne.

Chikorita was shocked.

"Stay calm, Chikorita," said Tristan. "Just watch Hoothoot's every move."

Chikorita nodded and kept its eyes open.

"Go, Hoothoot, dive down on it!" commanded Master Li.

Hoothoot flew down and charged toward Chikorita.

"Dodge it, Chikorita!" ordered Tristan.

Just as Hoothoot was within striking distance, Chikorita dodged into the air and narrowly avoided it.

"Quick, Hoothoot, fly up again and do a Tackle attack!" shouted Master Li.

Hoothoot quickly ascended and tackled a surprised Chikorita.

Chikorita landed hard on the ground.

"You're okay, Chikorita, let's get back up," encouraged Tristan.

Chikorita slowly got back on its feet.

"Now Peck attack!" commanded Master Li.

Hoothoot used its beak to peck Chikorita over and over again.

"Chikorita's in big trouble!" cried Hillary.

"Hurry, Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf attack to drive Hoothoot away from you!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves, which battered Hoothoot, preventing it from pecking it any further.

"Hoothoot, fly as fast as you can and use Tackle attack!" ordered Master Li.

Hoothoot flew and charged straight at Chikorita.

"Chikorita, use Vine Whip to jump!" instructed Tristan.

Chikorita extended its two vines from its bud necklace, then it jumped off the ground with all its might, preventing Hoothoot from striking it.

"Use your Sweet Scent attack to stop Hoothoot in its tracks!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita released a pink powder that smelled very sweet.

Soon, Hoothoot was completely enveloped in it, thus stopping it right where it was.

"Clever," remarked Master Li.

"This is Tristan's big chance!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Chikorita, finish it off with a Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita, using the momentum from its fall, rammed right into Hoothoot, knocking it out on the spot.

"All right!" cheered Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi were excited for Tristan and Chikorita's win.

"Great job, Chikorita," commended Tristan.

Chikorita ran back to Tristan and they shared a hug.

Master Li returned Hoothoot to its Poké Ball and came to Tristan. "Very well done, young man," he said. "You and Chikorita showed excellent teamwork in that battle, even at a disadvantage. You should have no problem battling the Violet City Gym Leader."

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

The other monks agreed.

"Do you know who the Gym Leader is?" asked Tristan.

"His name is Falkner, and he uses Flying Pokémon," explained Master Li. "He's got a powerful team of them waiting to battle any Trainers that challenge him."

"Well, then, let's rest up and see what we can do to get our first badge!" said Tristan excitedly. "What do you say, guys?"

Tristan's Pokémon and Hillary agreed excitedly.

* * *

That evening, Tristan and Hillary left the Sprout Tower as they waved goodbye to Master Li and his fellow monks. "Goodbye!" they called. "Thanks for the great battles!"

"Feel free to come back to the Sprout Tower at any time!" replied Master Li as he and his monks waved back.

Tristan and Hillary then started back for the Pokémon Center.

"I wonder what kind of Flying Pokémon Falkner will use in your Gym battle," said Hillary. "Whatever they are, they must be really strong."

"I don't care how strong they are," replied Tristan. "We'll beat them. After all, battling strong Trainers and winning against them makes us get even stronger together, and it makes us all feel good, too, right Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

* * *

_And so, with another day of training behind them, Tristan and Hillary set off once again for the Pokémon Center. And after getting a good night's sleep tonight, Tristan will be ready tomorrow as he prepares for his first Johto League Gym match!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	14. A HIGH-FLYING BATTLE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 14 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Falkner from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. I hope you like it.**

**TEASER: After a slight mishap with Team Rocket, Tristan challenges Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader to a Gym Battle. When Tristan's Pidgeot goes up against Falkner's Pidgeot, the outcome may very well be up in the air!**

**Chapter 14: A HIGH-FLYING BATTLE**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))_

_Today, we find our young hero, Tristan, up bright and early. He and Pikachu are getting some exercise to warm up for their first Johto League Gym match. That part alone has made them very excited. And after getting a good night's sleep, who wouldn't be?_

Tristan and Pikachu were jogging just outside the Pokémon Center early the next morning as the sun rose up over the horizon.

"I can't wait for today's battle," said Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu eagerly agreed with him as it ran beside him.

"I know Falkner's a strong Gym Leader," added Tristan. "So he must raise some awesome Flying Pokémon at his Gym. We'll need to be ready for anything."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"But I know we can do it together, Pikachu. We just have to believe in ourselves."

"Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu excitedly. It really liked Tristan's can-do attitude.

"So let's do our best today, and that badge will be as good as ours!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

Hillary and Togepi watched from the Pokémon Center's entrance as Tristan and Pikachu continued to jog. "Yup, he's gonna win today," she said. "I can feel it."

Togepi happily chirped in agreement.

* * *

After Tristan and Pikachu finished their jog, they came back inside the Pokémon Center to have breakfast with Hillary.

"So what's your strategy for defeating Falkner?" asked Hillary.

"I really haven't decided yet," answered Tristan. "But I know Pikachu will be able to help me with no problem."

"It sounds like you're on the right track already," said Hillary. "But don't forget that Falkner's not going to be easy to beat. What other Pokémon are you thinking about using?"

Tristan gave the matter a lot of thought. "Charizard can fly just like Falkner's Pokémon can. Plus, it can use Fire attacks like Flamethrower, so we can strike from far away if we can. It's too bad my Grass-type Pokémon won't be able to help me very much."

"What do you mean, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I know Chikorita's been gaining experience, but I don't think Falkner would like that choice. Venusaur may be strong physically, but I don't know...I really don't know." Tristan then sighed. "It's too bad Pidgeot isn't here to help me out."

"But it can help you out!" said Hillary excitedly.

"It can?"

"Yeah! Don't you remember, Tristan? Pidgeot's at Professor Oak's laboratory! You can just ask him to send it to you, and it can help you out if you need it to!"

"It does sound like a good idea," said Tristan. "But I know that I don't want to rely on my more experienced Pokémon all the time. Sure, they're all strong and all, but any new Pokémon I catch will need experience, too."

"Well, it's up to you, Tristan," said Hillary. "It's not my Gym Battle to fight."

"You're right, sis," replied Tristan. "I think I'll have Pidgeot come over and help me with this one Gym Battle."

"That's the spirit!" said Hillary. "And Chikorita can watch and see what a Gym Battle is like!"

* * *

"What's that? You want me to send your Pidgeot over right away?" asked Professor Oak on the video phone a few moments later.

"Yes, Professor," replied Tristan. "I'm about to face Falkner in my Gym Battle today, and I've heard he's really strong."

"Hmm, I think you're right about that," agreed Professor Oak. "I know Ash had some difficulty against Falkner when he went up against his Pidgeot with Charizard, so it may be a smart move to use Pidgeot in your Gym Battle."

"I thought as much," said Tristan.

"Now I know that your Pokémon have a lot of firepower," said Professor Oak, "but most of the Pokémon you have now can't fly. Now it may present a problem, but it sounds like you have a strategy in mind." He took Pidgeot's Poké Ball and placed it on the transporter on his end. "Plus, your Pidgeot gets a little restless just flying around the lab all day, and misses you a bit."

"I know what you mean, Professor Oak," said Tristan.

Professor Oak then pushed the button on the transporter.

An instant later, Pidgeot's Poké Ball appeared on Tristan's end.

Tristan picked up the Poké Ball. "Pidgeot, come on out."

The Poké Ball opened and Pidgeot emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Pidgeot was overjoyed to see Tristan again and embraced him in its wings.

"That's a happy reunion," remarked Hillary.

"Looks like you got your Pidgeot," said Professor Oak.

"I did," replied Tristan. "Thanks, Professor."

"Anytime," smiled Professor Oak. "Good luck with your Gym Battle today!"

The video screen turned off.

Just then, an alarm rang.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears)_

Tristan and Hillary saw Nurse Joy burst over to the front desk and check the security cameras. She gasped in shock as she saw an empty shelf. "The Poké Balls are gone!"

Presently, a man in black was seen nonchalantly carrying a bag of PokéBalls.

Tristan and Hillary spotted him immediately.

"And there's the thief who took them!" said Hillary.

It was then that Tristan saw a letter R on the man. "It's Team Rocket!"

Knowing that he'd been caught red-handed, the Rocket Grunt started making a run for it.

Nurse Joy started after the man as fast as she could. "Stop! Thief! Give back those PokéBalls!" Unfortunately, the shoes she was wearing had high heels, and she tripped and fell to the floor.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu quickly rushed to her aid.

"Are you okay, Nurse Joy?" asked Hillary.

"Not really," groaned Nurse Joy. "Please save the Poké Balls!"

"Don't worry, Nurse Joy," Tristan assured her. "We'll get the Poké Balls back for you."

Pikachu agreed.

"Come on, let's go after him!" said Tristan as he and his friends ran out of the Pokémon Center, climbed on Pidgeot, and took off into the sky after the Rocket Grunt.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the skies over Violet City, a young man was flying on a hang glider with a Hoothoot on his shoulder. He had blue eyes and blue hair that covered his right eye, and was wearing a light blue jacket. He saw the Rocket Grunt scurrying away with the bag of Poké Balls and flew after him.

The Rocket Grunt was still running away with his ill-gotten gains when the hang glider approached.

"Hold it!" said the blue-haired man as he landed in front of him.

"Now who in the name of evil are you?!" demanded the Rocket Grunt.

"I'm Falkner, the Leader of the Violet Gym," answered the man. "Drop that bag this instant."

"You'll have to take it from me first," smirked the Rocket Grunt as he threw a Poké Ball. "Arbok, Poison Sting!"

A cobra-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the Poké Ball and unleashed a barrage of poisonous needles at Falkner.

Falkner quickly jumped out of the way of Arbok's Poison Sting and took out a Poké Ball of his own. "Pidgeot, go!"

Falkner's Pidgeot emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan and his Pidgeot, plus Hillary and Pikachu arrived in time to see everything.

"Look, that guy has a Pidgeot, too!" said Tristan.

"Pidgeot, Whirlwind attack!" commanded Falkner.

Pidgeot furiously flapped its wings, creating a wind so strong that it knocked the Rocket Grunt off his feet, causing him to drop the bag of PokéBalls.

"Now, Pidgeot, finish him off with your best Quick Attack!" ordered Falkner.

Wasting no time, Falkner's Pidgeot sped toward the Rocket Grunt with a line trailing behind him.

The Rocket Grunt cringed in fear just before Pidgeot struck him head on, sending him blasting off into the sky, screaming as he went.

_DING!_

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were amazed with Falkner's Pidgeot's speedy Quick Attack.

"That was awesome," said Tristan in awe.

"That guy took care of Team Rocket like it was nothing!" added Hillary.

Tristan's Pidgeot landed on the ground and he and his friends dismounted.

Falkner walked up to them. "Hi. I assume this bag of PokéBalls belongs to you, right?"

"Actually, this bag of Poké Balls belongs to the Pokémon Center," answered Hillary.

"We saw that the Poké Balls had been stolen, so Nurse Joy asked us to stop that thief and get them back," added Tristan. "We just couldn't help but notice how powerful that Pidgeot of yours was."

"Well, I'm glad I was able to help," replied Falkner. "I'm always willing to help fellow Pokémon Trainers in need."

Just then, Nurse Joy approached. "Oh, good. The Poké Balls are safe. Thank you very much."

"Anytime, ma'am," replied Falkner.

Nurse Joy took the bag of Poké Balls and departed.

Falkner noticed Tristan's Pidgeot next to him and was intrigued. "So you have a Pidgeot, too?"

"Yeah," replied Tristan. "Pidgeot and I have known each other for a long time. I remember catching it as a gutsy little Pidgey. It used to disobey me and never did what I asked it to. But after saving it in my Gym Battle in Cerulean City, we became real good friends. It's been that way ever since."

"That's a great story," said Falkner. "Pidgeot are known to be very brave, trustworthy, and reliable Pokémon. Your Pidgeot looks like it's been well-trained."

"We like to fly in the sky with it to different places," added Tristan.

"I know what you mean," replied Falkner. "I've always wanted to fly in the sky. There's only one thing better than seeing a Pidgeot fly in the sky...and that's flying in the sky with it."

"I sure wish I had a Pidgeot like Tristan does," said Hillary, who was feeling rather sad.

"I'm sure you'll have a Pidgeot one of these days," Falkner assured her. "There are plenty of Pidgey in the wild. If Tristan could evolve his into a Pidgeot, I'm sure you can."

"Thanks," replied Hillary. "By the way, my name's Hillary, and this is Tristan, my older brother."

"Hi there," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Falkner warmly.

"And I'm Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader," said Falkner.

Tristan and Hillary were a little surprised in one way, but not another. They never knew that they'd be running into Falkner, but they knew that he was the Gym Leader, and a strong one at that.

The revelation made Tristan very excited. "Hey, Falkner, I'd like to challenge you to a Gym Battle."

"I accept your challenge, my friend," replied Falkner.

* * *

They came to a tall building and went inside an elevator a few moments later.

"It's always a little weird battling friends I just met," said Falkner. "I don't usually make friends before I have to battle with them. But we have to battle hard, friends or not."

"I agree," replied Tristan.

The elevator ascended to the roof.

"Well, this is it," said Falkner as the doors opened. "Welcome to the Violet Gym!"

An open battlefield could be seen. The bleachers were shaped into a circle, and there was no roof. There were several people who were dressed almost exactly the same way Falkner was.

"I wonder if those are Falkner's cheerleaders," said Hillary.

"I don't care if they are," replied Tristan. "We came to win a badge, right Pikachu?"

Pikachu agreed.

Tristan took out a Poké Ball and opened it.

His Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Chikorita, this is what a Gym Battle is like," explained Tristan. "Pretty soon, you'll be competing in one yourself."

Chikorita somewhat felt sad that it wouldn't be competing in this one.

"Come on, Chikorita, you can help me and Togepi cheer Tristan on!" said Hillary.

Chikorita smiled at the idea.

One of Falkner's assistants came to referee the match. "The official Johto League battle between Tristan, the challenger from New Bark Town, and Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader will now begin. Each will use three Pokémon. A Zephyr Badge is at stake. Begin the match when ready."

"It's time for me to send out my first Pokémon," said Falkner as he threw a PokéBall.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Wobbu-Palooza"))_

A small owl-like Pokémon, Hoothoot, emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, he's starting off with Hoothoot," said Hillary. "I have a feeling it'll be strong."

"Pikachu, I'm gonna start off with you, okay?" said Tristan.

Pikachu eagerly nodded and got into position for battle.

"A smart choice," said Falkner. "I wouldn't expect any less from a Trainer of your caliber. Using an Electric Pokémon against a Flying Pokémon does give you an edge, but don't expect it to be so easy."

"We'll see about that, Falkner," replied Tristan.

"Begin!" said the referee as another assistant banged a drum.

"Get that Pikachu with your Tackle attack, Hoothoot!" ordered Falkner.

Hoothoot flew towards Pikachu at remarkable speed.

"Look out, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan. "Use your Quick Attack to dodge it!"

Pikachu sped out of the way from Hoothoot's attack.

"That Pikachu's fast," remarked Falkner. "It certainly has been raised well. Hoothoot, climb up and then dive!"

Hoothoot climbed higher into the air at Falkner's command, then it rapidly descended down on Pikachu.

"Hoothoot, go into a Tackle attack at top speed!" shouted Falkner.

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack so Hoothoot can't Tackle you!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu sped away from Hoothoot as a white line trailed behind it.

"All right, Pikachu, time for a Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed a yellow bolt of electricity at Hoothoot.

"Hoothoot, fly away, quick!" shouted Falkner.

But it was too late, for Pikachu's Thunderbolt struck it like lightning as it tried to climb, and Hoothoot fell to the ground.

"Pikachu, finish it off with Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu, with a white line trailing behind it, rammed into Hoothoot at high speed, causing it to fall into Falkner's hands. It had been knocked out.

"Hoothoot, are you okay?" asked Falkner.

"Hoothoot is unable to battle...Pikachu is the winner!" declared the referee.

"Great job, buddy!" commended Tristan. "You really showed them what you can do!"

Pikachu gave a happy reply.

"Pikachu definitely had the type advantage that time," remarked Hillary.

Togepi and Chikorita agreed.

"It's no big deal," said Falkner to Hoothoot. "You deserve a good rest." And he returned Hoothoot to its Poké Ball. He turned to Tristan. "Not bad, Tristan. You made this battle intense right from the start. But it's time for a surprise. Go, Dodrio!" And he threw his second Poké Ball.

A large, wingless avian Pokémon with three heads emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Dodrio: The Triple Bird Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon's three heads allow it to think three times as wisely. It can run close to 40 miles an hour."_

"Didn't my brother, Braden, face Dodrio before?" wondered Tristan.

"Nope," answered Falkner. "Back when I faced your brother, I never had it. You should know we do things a little differently in the Johto League."

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan.

"Some Gym Leaders don't train their Pokémon as often as they should," explained Falkner. "I'm not saying any names, but after my defeat against your brother, I've learned that I should train hard with my Pokémon so we can all be stronger together. And so I decided to become the world's number one Flying Pokémon Trainer by catching and training Flying Pokémon of all kinds. Ash was the very first person to face my Dodrio in battle and win, but let's see if you can do as well as he did."

"You're on, Falkner," said Tristan.

"I've learned that most Dodrio can't fly," said Hillary. "Maybe this one will be different."

"Begin!" declared the referee as another assistant banged the drum.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"We'll let you make the first move this time," said Falkner to Tristan.

"Okay, Pikachu, your Thunderbolt attack worked before, so let's try it again," instructed Tristan.

Pikachu shot another powerful yellow bolt of electricity at Dodrio.

"Don't try to run, Dodrio, fly away instead!" said Falkner.

Dodrio jumped high into the air and dodged Pikachu's Thunderbolt, much to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's surprise.

"I thought this one could fly!" said Hillary.

"Now, Dodrio, flatten it!" ordered Falkner.

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack so Dodrio doesn't run you over!" commanded Tristan.

Just as Dodrio's huge feet were about to trample Pikachu, Pikachu's lightning fast Quick Attack allowed it to escape.

"Dodrio, use your Tri Attack!" shouted Falkner.

"Tri Attack?" repeated Tristan.

"This attack has the power of three attacks from three different elements: Ice, Electric, and Fire," explained Falkner. "Just watch."

As he spoke, Dodrio opened its three beaks, which formed a different orb; the left beak had a blue orb, the center beak had a yellow orb, and the right beak had a red orb. The orbs formed a triangle, and it was soon launched at Pikachu. Sure enough, it had the power of three attacks from three different types; Ice, Electric, and Fire.

"Wow, no way!" cried Hillary. "Dodrio's Tri Attack could do some serious damage to Pikachu! Hurry, Tristan! Don't let Tri Attack connect!"

"Quick, Pikachu, use Thunder attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu concentrated all the electricity in its body, then it launched it at Dodrio's Tri Attack in an attempt to block it.

_BOOM!_

The force of both attacks was so powerful that it caused a tremendous explosion, sending both Pokémon flying backward and causing a huge cloud of smoke to form.

Tristan and Falkner shielded their eyes as the smoke got to them.

When the smoke cleared, both Pikachu and Dodrio were seen lying on the ground. They were both knocked out, much to Tristan and Falkner's shock.

"Pikachu and Dodrio are both unable to battle!" declared the referee.

Tristan quickly rushed to Pikachu. "Are you okay?"

Pikachu opened its eyes and nodded weakly.

Tristan smiled. "You were great, Pikachu," he said. "You just take it easy for awhile."

Falkner returned Dodrio to his Poké Ball. "Well, I have to admit it, Tristan. You may not have won that round, but your Pikachu is very strong."

"Your Dodrio was pretty good, too, Falkner," replied Tristan.

"Well, are you ready for my final Pokémon?" asked Falkner as he threw his third Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "Dueling Heroes"))_

His Pidgeot emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"I thought as much," said Hillary. "Come on, Tristan! You've got this!"

Chikorita and Togepi agreed as they cheered Tristan on.

"Pidgeot, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Poké Ball.

His Pidgeot emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"So, it's Pidgeot versus Pidgeot, huh?" smiled Falkner. "I've been looking forward to this battle for quite some time. Now we'll see whose Pidgeot is the stronger one."

Both Pidgeot stared in the eyes of the other, determined to go all out.

"Begin!" declared the referee as the assistant next to him banged the drum.

"Fly, Pidgeot, now!" commanded Falkner.

"You, too, Pidgeot!" replied Tristan.

Both Pidgeot flapped their wings and became airborne an instant later.

"Pidgeot, use your Quick Attack," instructed Falkner.

Falkner's Pidgeot charged at Tristan's at incredible speed with a white line trailing behind it.

"Pidgeot, use your Quick Attack, too!" commanded Tristan.

Tristan's Pidgeot charged at Falkner's Pidgeot the exact same way.

Both Pidgeot collided over and over again without giving an inch.

"Looks like we're evenly matched, aren't we?" smiled Tristan.

"Looks that way," replied Falkner. "But you know what they say. Looks can be deceiving. Pidgeot, use your Agility attack, quick!"

Falkner's Pidgeot quickly disappeared and reappeared right behind Tristan's Pidgeot.

"Now strike!" commanded Falkner.

Falkner's Pidgeot flew into Tristan's Pidgeot so fast that it was taken a little by surprise.

Tristan was surprised by this tactic, too. "That's fast."

"Using Agility, my Pidgeot reaches a speed of Mach 2," explained Falkner.

"That's twice the speed of sound, right?" gasped Hillary.

"Well, we've got something that can match that," said Tristan. "Pidgeot, use Mirror Move!"

Tristan's Pidgeot briefly disappeared and then reappeared behind Falkner's Pidgeot.

"So, a Mirror Move," smiled Falkner. "What a nice surprise. But I have a surprise for you. Pidgeot, Whirlwind attack!"

Falkner's Pidgeot furiously flapped its wings, causing a strong gust of wind to blow from them.

Tristan's Pidgeot was caught in the Whirlwind and it fell to the ground.

"Hang in there, Pidgeot! Don't give up!" encouraged Tristan.

"Now we've got 'em, Pidgeot," said Falkner. "Hit it with Quick Attack!"

Falkner's Pidgeot flew toward Tristan's Pidgeot with a white line trailing behind it as Tristan's Pidgeot struggled to its feet.

"Tristan's Pidgeot's in trouble!" cried Hillary.

"Hurry, Pidgeot, use your Quick Attack to fly out of the way!" commanded Tristan.

Instantly, Tristan's Pidgeot shot up into the sky as a white line trailed behind it.

Falkner was shocked. "How did it recover like that? Pidgeot, use your Agility attack!"

"Use Mirror Move, Pidgeot!" ordered Tristan.

Falkner's Pidgeot briefly disappeared and reappeared behind Tristan's Pidgeot, but just as it did, Tristan's Pidgeot did the exact same thing and reappeared behind it.

"Pidgeot, Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan and Falkner together.

Thanks to their increased speed from their Agility attacks, both Pidgeot flew at each other as white lines streaked behind them. They rammed into one another without giving an inch. They came at each other again and again, but neither could do the damage necessary to finish the other off.

Tristan and Falkner both watched as the battle grew more intense.

Hillary was on the edge of her seat as she watched the epic aerial battle.

Both Pidgeot, still flying in the sky were showing signs of exhaustion from their battle. They also had bruises all over their bodies.

"Well, it looks like we're winding into the home stretch now, doesn't it?" smiled Falkner.

"It sure looks like it," replied Tristan. Then he thought, _Knowing Falkner, he's going to use a big attack. There's only one thing to do to end this: we're going to have to go for broke."_

"Pidgeot, hit it with your best Quick Attack now! Finish it!" cried Falkner.

Falkner's Pidgeot used its full speed and flew in a straight line at Tristan's Pidgeot in an attempt to finish it off.

"Quick, Pidgeot, use Hyper Beam!" shouted Tristan.

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "Foul Weather Friends"))_

Pidgeot opened its beak, aimed at Falkner's Pidgeot, and launched a yellow-orange beam of energy at it, also in a straight line, which was what Tristan had planned for, for at that moment, Hyper Beam scored a direct hit, causing Falkner's Pidgeot to take some serious damage.

"Pidgeot, no!" cried Falkner.

"Now that's what I call a bulls-eye!" said Hillary.

Falkner's Pidgeot plummeted toward the ground at high speed and crashed on the battlefield as Tristan's Pidgeot quickly flew above it.

"Pidgeot, get up! Pidgeot, get up! Pidgeot, get up!" chanted Falkner's cheerleaders.

Falkner's Pidgeot tried to get back on its feet, but the damage it took from Hyper Beam was enough for it to collapse back on the ground in a heap. It had been knocked out.

Falkner quickly rushed to his Pidgeot. "Are you okay?"

"And the challenger, Tristan from New Bark Town is the winner!" declared the referee.

"All right!" cried Tristan. "Pidgeot, we did it!"

Tristan's Pidgeot gave a squawk of triumph as it flew in the sky.

"Way to go, Tristan!" cheered Hillary as she, Chikorita, and Togepi all ran to Tristan and Pikachu on the battlefield. "You were awesome."

"Thanks, guys," replied Tristan as his Pidgeot landed beside him. "And you were awesome, too, Pidgeot."

Pidgeot gave a happy squawk as it and Tristan embraced one another.

Falkner returned his Pidgeot to his Poké Ball as he looked proudly at Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon. "I have to admit. He's pretty good. That was a battle I'll remember for quite awhile."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

That evening, Tristan and Hillary stood with Falkner and his assistants outside the Violet Gym.

"I never expected your Pidgeot to use Hyper Beam," said Falkner. "You gave me many surprises, one after another, in our battle today."

"Well, thanks, Falkner," replied Tristan. "Your Pokémon were good, too."

"Just a question out of curiosity," said Falkner. "If your Pidgeot had been defeated, who would you have chosen as your last Pokémon?"

"I would've gone with Charizard," answered Tristan. "I really couldn't use Chikorita because it would've been at a huge disadvantage against Flying Pokémon like Pidgeot. But I wanted it to see what a Gym Battle would be like, so I let it sit with Hillary and it helped her cheer me on to victory."

"Good choice," smiled Falkner. "And now, as promised, I have something for you." And he handed Tristan an object that was shaped like a pair of wings. "You earned this as proof of your victory here at the Violet Gym: the Zephyr Badge."

"Thank you so much, Falkner," replied Tristan. And he raised his newest badge in the air and proclaimed: "I got...a Zephyr Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"That's great, Tristan," said Hillary. "You got your first badge."

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan.

"Battling with you has inspired me to become even stronger and go on my own path to becoming the world's number one Flying Pokémon Trainer," said Falkner.

"You'll make it for sure, Falkner," said Tristan.

"Thank you, Tristan," replied Falkner. "Your words are very kind."

But then, Hillary suddenly felt sad. "I just wish I could do some real battling."

"Well, maybe you can," smiled Falkner. "I've heard that a tournament will be taking place in a little town that's not too far from here, and it's called the Little Cup."

"What's the Little Cup?" wondered Hillary.

"The Little Cup is for Trainers who battle using Pokémon with very little experience," explained Falkner. "Pokémon like Hoothoot or Chikorita can enter, and so can Cyndaquil. But be sure that they aren't evolved yet, and that they haven't battled very much. And not only that, the Little Cup is going to take place just outside the city limits."

"All right, I can't wait!" said Hillary excitedly. "Race you to the Pokémon Center, Tristan!" And she raced off.

"Wait up, sis!" replied Tristan as he and Pikachu started to race after her. "I guess we'll be going now, Falkner."

"Well, Tristan, I wish you good luck in your next Gym Battle!" called Falkner. "And Hillary, good luck in the Little Cup!"

"Thank you, Falkner!" replied Tristan and Hillary as they raced away.

* * *

_And so, after a hard-fought, hard-won battle, Tristan earns his first Johto League badge: the Zephyr Badge, even though the outcome was up in the air for awhile. Now it's on to the Pokémon Center where Tristan and Hillary look forward to many more adventures._

► **TO BE CONTINUED**


	15. THE LITTLE CUP, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 15 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. There are two things I want to point out. The first is the Little Cup. I decided to base this chapter and the next three on the Little Cup on _Pokémon Stadium 2. _So many Trainers you see in this chapter are from there. Second, you may recall Sakura and her sisters from two episodes of the anime: "Trouble's Brewing" and "Espeon...Not Included." They make an appearance in this chapter, and this could be when Sakura's Eevee finally evolves into an Espeon and Sakura learns to believe in herself. Just a reminder, I do NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: The Little Cup is finally here, and Hillary is ready, thanks to a warm-up battle against a Trainer named Sakura. Hillary's first opponent in the Little Cup is a Youngster named Bernie!**

**Chapter 15: THE LITTLE CUP, PART 1**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_After earning a Zephyr Badge from Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader, our heroes have decided to stay in Violet City. It's here that Hillary plans to register for the Little Cup, which is for Pokémon who have very little battling experience. As for Tristan, he's coming up with his own plan of attack._

"Thanks for sending Pidgeot to me yesterday, Professor," said Tristan as he talked to Professor Oak on the video phone the next morning.

"So, how did your battle with Falkner go?" asked Professor Oak.

"It went well," answered Tristan. "I won a Zephyr Badge. Pidgeot was a huge help."

"Congrats," smiled Professor Oak.

"I think I'll send Pidgeot back to the lab for now," said Tristan. "I'm sure it has some patrolling around the lab to do." And he held Pidgeot's Poké Ball close to him and said, "Thanks, Pidgeot. You really helped me out." And he put Pidgeot's Poké Ball on the transporter and pushed its button.

Instantly, the Poké Ball disappeared in a beam of white light and appeared on Professor Oak's end an instant later.

"Your Pidgeot arrived here safely," said Professor Oak. "Whenever you need it or any of your other Pokémon, just let me know."

"I will, Professor," replied Tristan. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Tristan," said Professor Oak as the video screen turned off.

Tristan came to Hillary a moment later. "So, did you finish getting registered?"

"Yup," replied Hillary. "Squirtle, Cyndaquil, and Eevee should help me win the little cup with no problem. And whenever I need extra help, Togepi can surely give it."

Togepi chirped in agreement

"I'm not so sure you should use Togepi in the Little Cup," said Tristan, who was concerned. "Togepi's just a baby, and I'm sure you don't want it to get hurt."

"That's your opinion, Tristan," replied Hillary.

Just then, five young girls entered the Pokémon Center with a small Pokémon covered with brown fur, and it had dark brown ears.

One of the girls had dark blue hair and orange earrings, the second had green hair, the third had indigo hair, the fourth had red hair, and the fifth, who was the youngest, had magenta hair.

The dark blue haired girl spoke first. "Excuse me, but have either of you lost a Sentret?"

"No, it's not either of ours," answered Tristan.

The red-haired girl spoke next. "It must be a wild Pokémon then."

Hillary scanned the Sentret on her Pokédex.

_"Sentret: The Scout Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Sentret is able to see great distances by rising up on its tail. When it spots an enemy or any kind of danger, It emits a loud, shrill cry as a warning."_

"How did you guys find it?" asked Tristan.

The green-haired woman spoke third. "We were on our way to see the Little Cup because Sakura wanted to experience Pokémon battles firsthand, and she thought it would help her build confidence in herself. But then we noticed this Sentret walking around the city limits trying to find its way around. So we thought we should take it to the Pokémon Center to see if it had a Trainer."

"That's a great idea," said Hillary. "I'm Hillary, and I'm going to battle in the Little Cup. This is my brother, Tristan, and his best friend, Pikachu."

"Hi there," said Tristan warmly.

Pikachu greeted the the five young girls.

"I'm Satsuki," said the dark-blue-haired girl. "I'm the oldest of five sisters."

The green-haired girl spoke next. "I'm Sumomo, I'm the second oldest."

"I'm Tamao," said the indigo-haired girl. "I'm the third oldest."

"I'm Koume, the fourth oldest," said the red-haired girl. "And of course, this is Sakura, our youngest."

"Hi," said Sakura. She looked a little nervous.

"What's the matter, Sakura?" asked Hillary.

"I want to travel on my own journey like you are," answered Sakura. "But I don't know if I can, especially after I almost lost my Eevee to Team Rocket. I had to have Misty and her friends as well as my sisters get it back for me."

Hillary could see the uncertainty in Sakura's eyes. "I know what you mean. When I was traveling with Tristan in the Kanto region, I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do either, nor did I know how I'd do as a Trainer when I got my first Pokémon. But it's only natural to feel a little nervous."

"Hillary's right," agreed Tristan. "She faced the unknown and proved her independence when she and her Squirtle helped me out of a serious jam."

"You just have to believe in yourself, even if the odds are stacked against you," added Hillary. "I may not know what I want to do as a Trainer yet, and I may not be interested in collecting badges as Tristan is, but competing in tournaments like this one should help me learn what I should do. What I mean is you should not see the unknown as your enemy, but see it as an adventure."

"Hillary's right, Sakura," Satsuki said. "Seeing the unknown is a good way to experience things firsthand."

Sakura smiled at the idea.

"So what do you guys like to do?" asked Tristan.

"We participate in tea ceremonies and keep ancient traditions," explained Satsuki. "We also know how to dance, but we like to train our Pokémon, too."

"I knew Sakura had an Eevee, but I never would've guessed that you all trained Pokémon, too."

"But we still don't know what to do about this Sentret," said Tamao.

"Let's see if Nurse Joy can help," suggest Satsuki.

Nurse Joy overheard them and came to the counter. "I heard that a Sentret came in here."

"Do you think you can check it out, Nurse Joy?" asked Hillary hopefully.

"I'll see what I can do," replied Nurse Joy as Satsuki handed Sentret over to her.

Sakura then turned to Hillary. "Hillary, I was wondering if you'd like to battle me."

"I'm not sure if I should," replied Hillary. "I mean it's so close to the Little Cup that I don't want my Pokémon to get hurt."

"Oh, come on, Hillary," said Tristan. "This'll be great experience for you. Besides, it'll be a good warm-up going into the Little Cup."

Hillary thought about it, then said, "Okay, Sakura, I accept your challenge."

* * *

A few moments later, Hillary and Sakura positioned themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield just outside the Pokémon Center.

Tristan, who was babysitting Togepi, was watching with Pikachu, Satsuki, Sumomo, Tamao, and Koume.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (as heard in "Trouble's Brewing"))_

"Let's battle by using just one Pokémon each, agreed?" said Sakura.

"Agreed," replied Hillary.

"It sounds like Sakura is starting to take your sister's advice," said Satsuki to Tristan.

"Well, let's see how well she does," said Tristan.

"I'm ready for this," said Sakura as she threw a Poké Ball. "Go, Eevee!"

An Eevee appeared from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked like it was well-trained despite having not evolved yet.

"I know who I'm gonna choose," said Hillary as she threw a Poké Ball.

Her Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"I never knew you had an Eevee, Hillary," said Sakura. "This should be a great battle."

"Let's get going right away, Eevee," said Hillary. "Use your Tackle attack!"

Hillary's Eevee charged toward Sakura's Eevee full-body style

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!" commanded Sakura.

Using its hind legs, Sakura's Eevee kicked up sand and threw it in Hillary's Eevee's face, temporarily blinding it.

"Whoa!" gasped Satsuki, Sumomo, Tamao, and Koume.

Hillary's Eevee struggled frantically to shake the sand off.

"You're doing great, Eevee, just hang in there!" encouraged Hillary.

"That Sand-Attack must've thrown off its timing," said Tristan. "Sakura's a pretty good Trainer after all."

"She may not look it, but Sakura's come a really long way since Misty and her friends met her," remarked Satsuki.

"Well, Sakura has proven to be a formidable opponent," agreed Tristan. "I just wonder what Hillary's next move is gonna be."

"Eevee, use your Tackle attack!" commanded Sakura.

Sakura's Eevee charged at Hillary's Eevee full-body style and rammed it hard.

Hillary's Eevee landed on the ground with a hard thud.

"Don't give up, Eevee," said Hillary. "Let's give it a Quick Attack!"

Hillary's Eevee sped toward Sakura's Eevee with a white line trailing behind it.

"Jump, Eevee, now!" shouted Sakura.

Sakura's Eevee quickly jumped into the air just as Quick Attack was about to connect.

"No way!" gasped Hillary. "That little Eevee really is fast!"

But that wasn't all, for Sakura's Eevee had jumped as high as it could, and was ready to attack.

"Eevee, Tackle attack!" ordered Sakura.

Sakura's Eevee used the momentum in its fall, and scored a huge direct hit on Hillary's Eevee, causing it to fall on the ground, and then leaped back in front of its Trainer.

"That's it, Eevee!" commended Sakura. "I knew you could do it!"

Sakura's Eevee gave a happy reply to its Trainer.

"Eevee, please stand up!" implored Hillary.

Hillary's Eevee struggled, and slowly, but surely, it got back on its feet.

But just then, Sakura's Eevee was bathed in a bright, white light.

Everyone was surprised, especially Sakura.

"Whoa, check that out," gasped Satsuki.

"I think Sakura's Eevee's starting to evolve!" added Tristan.

Sure enough, as it did, its tail became more thin and forked, its legs grew slender and thin, its paws became dainty, and its ears grew larger.

When the glowing stopped, Sakura's Eevee had smooth, lilac fur and a red gem on its forehead.

"I wonder what that is," said Hillary as she scanned the newly evolved Pokémon with her Pokédex.

_"Espeon: The Sun Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Espeon is able to read air currents, allowing it to predict the future, as well as its opponents' next moves."_

"Wow," said Sakura to herself. "I never knew that I'd get an Espeon." She then turned to Hillary. "Okay, Hillary, let's finish this up!"

_(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"Eevee, let's try a Tackle attack one more time!" instructed Hillary.

Eevee charged forward toward Espeon with what little strength it had left.

"Espeon, don't give up!" encouraged Sakura.

Just then, Espeon's gem glowed in multiple colors, then a multi-colored beam shot from it straight toward Eevee.

Everyone was shocked, especially Sakura.

"Espeon's using a Psybeam attack!" gasped Tristan.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of energy Eevee had from its battle, it was unable to dodge Espeon's Psybeam, as it scored a direct hit.

"Eevee!" cried Hillary.

Eevee landed on the ground with a thud, and it had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

Hillary quickly rushed to Eevee. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Eevee gave a weak reply and smiled. Apparently, the damage it took in the battle wasn't too serious.

"You were great," said Hillary. "Now get some rest." And she returned Eevee to its Pokéball.

"That was great, Sakura!" said Sumomo.

"That Espeon of yours is quite strong," put in Tamao. "I never expected Espeon to learn Psybeam right after it evolved."

"Yeah, I'm almost jealous," finished Koume.

Sakura was a little confused. Her sisters had never complimented her like that before. "You really think so?"

"They're absolutely right," agreed Satsuki. "You stayed calm during the battle, even through the most difficult of circumstances, and you never gave up. Just keep on doing that, and you'll be able to journey out on your own in no time."

Sakura smiled. "I'll do it. And I'll keep on training until the time comes for me to journey out on my own."

"That's the spirit," said Hillary. "And even though there will be wins and losses, you'll learn from them. I've experienced my fair share of both. But that just means there's room to grow. And that's what helps me stay strong as a Trainer."

"Let's all go to the Pokémon Center and check on that Sentret," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary. "Eevee could use a rest after that battle."

* * *

Later inside the Pokémon Center, everyone was getting excited about the upcoming Little Cup taking place.

"I can't wait to see you in action, Hillary," said Tristan.

"I just can't wait to be in it," replied Hillary.

Just then, the recovery signal rang, signaling that Eevee had recovered.

Nurse Joy came out with Eevee's Poké Ball. "Eevee's all rested up and ready to go, Hillary," she smiled.

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. "Oh, did you learn anything about the Sentret that was brough in?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't," answered Nurse Joy. "But physically, I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Well that's a relief," said Hillary.

Sentret leaped out of Nurse Joy's arms and into Hillary's.

"Hi, Sentret," said Hillary. "You sure are a friendly one."

Sentret nodded as it rubbed against Hillary affectionately.

"I have an idea," said Nurse Joy. "Why don't you take this Sentret with you?"

Hillary's face brightened up. "May I?"

"Of course," smiled Nurse Joy. "Sentret seems to have taken a liking to you already. And I think it could use a good Trainer after spending so much time in the wild, roaming the streets."

Hillary turned to Sentret. "Would you like to come with me, Sentret?" she asked.

Sentret smiled at the idea.

Hillary took out a Poké Ball, allowing Sentret to touch the button, and it went inside at once. Then she proclaimed, "I got a Sentret!"

"That's great, sis," said Tristan. "Good going."

"Now let's do what we came here to do and get ready for the Little Cup," said Hillary.

"Hold on, sis," advised Tristan. "We don't even know the rules for the Little Cup."

"Well, I know that Pokémon that have little battling experience and haven't evolved yet can participate," replied Hillary. "What else do I need to know?"

"The Little Cup will consist of three-on three matches, and 256 Trainers will compete for the Little Cup trophy," explained Nurse Joy. "I've never seen a Trainer as young as yourself competing in a tournament like this one."

"Hillary's a great Trainer, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. "She'll be just fine."

"We'll all be in the newly built stadium cheering you on," said Satsuki.

"Good luck, Hillary," added Sakura.

"Thanks," said Hillary. "I'll do my best."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Round One...Begin!"))_

Violet City's new stadium was filled to capacity with roaring fans as an announcer began his speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Violet City! And welcome to the Pokémon Tournament Little Cup! This tournament is for Pokémon that have very little battling experience. All matches in this tournament will be three-on-three battles. And Trainers may make substitutions freely. This tournament is especially helpful for young and inexperienced Trainers who have just begun their journey. Two hundred fifty-six Trainers will do battle here in the course of a week, and only one will emerge triumphant with the grand prize: The Little Cup Trophy!"

Tristan, Pikachu, Togepi, and the Kimono Sisters could hardly contain their excitement as the crowd cheered.

"I almost wish I was battling in this tournament," said Tristan.

"Well, why didn't you, Tristan?" asked Sakura.

"My Pokémon are too strong to compete," answered Tristan. "Plus, I don't have enough Pokémon with little battling experience to compete. Besides, I've been thinking of how to get my next badge so I can be one step closer to entering the Johto League. This is Hillary's big chance to prove that she can battle on her own. Now let's cheer really loud for Hillary."

Pikachu and Togepi waved their flags and cheered loudly.

"And now, it's time to present our first two competitors!" said the announcer. "First up is one of the youngest Trainers to ever compete in a tournament. Please give a warm welcome to Hillary from New Bark Town!"

The crowd cheered as Hillary came out looking a little nervous, but she took a few deep breaths and regained her composure.

"Yeah, go, Hillary!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly in agreement.

"And next up is a local Youngster," said the announcer. "Give it up for Bernie, a local Trainer!"

The crowd roared in excitement as Bernie, wearing a t-shirt and cap, made his appearance.

"Ha!" smirked Bernie. "A wimpy girl. This should be quick."

A referee came to judge the match. "This opening battle between Hillary and Bernie will now begin. Each Trainer may use three Pokémon."

"Slugma, I choose you!" shouted Bernie as he threw a Poké Ball.

A bright red limbless Pokémon with yellow eyes emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It was almost composed entirely of magma.

"So that's a Slugma," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Slugma: the Lava Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"A common sight in volcanic areas, this Pokémon slowly slithers around in a constant search for warm places."_

"Go, Squirtle!" shouted Hillary as she threw her first Poké Ball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it as it readied itself for battle against Slugma.

"Hillary starts out the battle with Squirtle while Bernie puts Slugma to the test," said the announcer.

"Let the battle begin!" declared the referee as he raised his red and green flags in the air.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Slugma, Flamethrower!" shouted Bernie.

Slugma shot a hot stream of fire from its mouth at Squirtle.

"Slugma starts right out with a Flamethrower!" said the announcer.

"Squirtle, douse it with your Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the Flamethrower.

Slowly, but surely, Flamethrower was pushed back until, eventually, Water Gun scored a direct hit on Slugma, causing it to be knocked backward.

"Squirtle's Water Gun scores a huge direct hit!" said the announcer.

"Aack! No way!" cried Bernie.

Squirtle's Water Gun was too much for Slugma to take, and it was knocked out on the spot.

"Slugma is unable to battle: Squirtle wins!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air and the crowd cheered.

"Folks, Slugma was defeated in one attack!" boomed the announcer. "Squirtle's Water Gun proves that water puts out fires!"

"Hillary's off to a great start," smiled Tristan. "If she keeps this up, she'll be advancing to the second round in no time."

"Your sister's pretty good," said Satsuki. "Most people wouldn't be able to tell that this is her first tournament."

Bernie returned his Slugma to his Poké Ball. "This battle is just beginning. You may have gotten lucky against my Slugma, but now, you won't stand a chance against this. Now, Sunkern, let's do it!" He threw his second Poké Ball.

A mostly yellow seed-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a small sprout growing out of its top, and its body had three broad, brown, vertical stripes.

"Bernie's second Pokémon will be a Sunkern," said the announcer.

"That's another new one," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon on his Pokédex.

_"Sunkern: The Seed Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Sunkern drink the dew that collects beneath leaves. It is believed that it neither eats nor drinks anything else."_

"I never knew Pokémon like Sunkern didn't need all that much other than just dew," said Sakura.

"I wonder how Hillary will react to this," said Satsuki.

"Squirtle, return!" called Hillary as she took out Squirtle's Poké Ball.

Squirtle transformed into red energy and shot back inside.

Hillary then put Squirtle's Poké Ball away for later, took out another one, and threw it. "Cyndaquil, I choose you!"

_(Music Cue: Chaos (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Hillary substitutes Cyndaquil for Squirtle," said the announcer.

"Good call," said Tristan. "Fire-types have a big advantage against Grass-types like Sunkern."

"I don't care if your Cyndaquil has the advantage!" said Bernie defiantly. "Sunkern, use Sunny Day!"

Sunkern had a burning desire in its eyes, and then it shot a beam of energy toward the sky, causing the sunlight to get stronger.

"Sunkern uses Sunny Day to make things hotter," said the announcer. "Better put on the shades, folks."

"I don't understand why Bernie would use Sunny Day at a time like this, especially since Sunkern's at a huge disadvantage," said Sakura, who was a little confused.

"Sunny Day increases the power of Fire-type attacks," explained Tristan. "But Bernie's timing on that may be a bit off. I have a feeling this will only work in Hillary's favor."

Hillary smiled. "Thanks, Bernie. I was hoping you'd use Sunny Day. Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower attack!"

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a much more powerful flame than normal from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Sunkern.

"Ouch!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil's Flamethrower scores big time!"

"Sunkern!" cried Bernie.

Sunkern lay scorched on the ground, knocked out.

"Sunkern is unable to battle...Cyndaquil wins!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The crowd roared in excitement.

"Sunkern's Sunny Day increased the power of Cyndaquil's Flamethrower, which only helped Hillary attain her second victory," said the announcer. "And now, Bernie is already down to his last Pokémon."

Bernie returned his Sunkern to his Poké Ball and snarled at Hillary. He wasn't expecting her to score two easy victories in a row. "It's so not fair! How could you soak my Slugma and scorch my Sunkern like that in just one attack?!"

"Because Squirtle had the advantage over Slugma and Cyndaquil had the advantage over Sunkern," explained Hillary.

"Well, I'm gonna give you a taste of my own medicine!" said Bernie as he threw his third and final Poké Ball. "Go, Omanyte!"

A Pokémon with a sky blue body emerged from the white light that shot out of its Poké Ball. It had ten tentacles and a helix shell on its back.

"Bernie's final Pokémon is the extinct Pokémon, Omanyte," said the announcer.

"Wow, an Omanyte!" said Tristan. "I remember seeing this Pokémon in Grampa Canyon in the Kanto region." And he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Omanyte: The Spiral Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Believed to have lived over two billion years ago, recent research indicates that it was able to control its buoyancy by storing and releasing energy in its shell."_

"Wow, a Pokémon that lived two billion years ago in the flesh right before our eyes," said Satsuki. "What a treat this is!"

"Yeah, but Omanyte could cause a problem for Cyndaquil," said Tristan nervously. "Omanyte has both Water and Rock-type characteristics, putting Cyndaquil at a huge disadvantage. We'll have to see how Hillary reacts to this surprise."

"On the other hand, Sunny Day is still in effect, for Omanyte's Water attacks wouldn't be able to do as much damage as they normally would," added Sakura.

Sure enough, thanks to Sunkern's Sunny Day, the sun was still shining brightly as Cyndaquil and Omanyte eyed each other warily.

"You may have been able to beat me twice, but you won't beat me this time," said Bernie. "Omanyte, use Surf!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo"))_

Omanyte raised its tentacles and a big wave of water came up inside the stadium.

"Whoa, check it out!" gasped Tristan.

Omanyte rode on top of the wave as it roared across the battlefield.

"Omanyte's Surf causes a big wave of water to surge toward Cyndaquil!" said the announcer.

"Cyndaquil, you've gotta get out of the way!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil jumped up into the air just as Omanyte's Surf was about to make contact. Then it nimbly landed on its feet.

"All right, use Flamethrower!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a powerful stream of fire at Omanyte, scoring a direct hit on it.

Although Omanyte was resistant against Fire attacks thanks to its Water and Rock-type characteristics, it seemed to take on more damage than normal thanks to Sunny Day.

"No big deal," said Bernie. "Tie it up with Constrict attack!"

Omanyte used its tentacles to put a tight grip on Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil gets caught by Omanyte's Constrict!" said the announcer.

"Not good," said Tristan. "Now Cyndaquil won't be able to dodge Omanyte's attacks."

"Now hit it with Surf!" commanded Bernie.

Omanyte, still clutching Cyndaquil tightly with its tentacles, summoned another big wave of water, causing Cyndaquil to get caught in it.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"Omanyte's Surf scores a direct hit, causing big problems for Hillary's little Cyndaquil!" said the announcer.

"That Omanyte's really powerful," remarked Satsuki. "Let's hope Hillary can find a way out of this."

As Satsuki spoke, Cyndaquil seemed to be hanging in there despite the damage it was taking from Surf. Thanks to Sunny Day, it wasn't taking as much damage.

"Cyndaquil, use your Quick Attack to get out of the water!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot out of Omanyte's grip and its Surf attack with a white line trailing behind it. Then it landed on its feet as Bernie and Omanyte watched.

"Cyndaquil escapes Omanyte's Surf with Quick Attack," said the announcer.

"Hmm. Not bad," said Bernie. "But let's try it again."

"Not this time, Bernie," replied Hillary. "Cyndaquil, let's give it all we've got."

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra & Guitar (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

Cyndaquil turned up the heat from the flame, then it rolled into a ball as it somersaulted in the air.

Tristan and the others watching in their seats were surprised at Cyndaquil's newfound strength.

Hillary was the most surprised of all as she watched Cyndaquil roll on and on. "Is that what I think it is?"

"That's awesome!" said Satsuki. "I think Cyndaquil just learned how to use Flame Wheel!"

"That's not only awesome, that's hot!" added Tristan.

Sure enough, Cyndaquil kept somersaulting in the air, landed on the ground and rolled faster and faster as it sped toward Omanyte. Sure enough, it scored a direct hit on Omanyte, sending it flying.

"Cyndaquil uses Flame Wheel on a very surprised Omanyte!" said the announcer. "This could be it!"

"Omanyte!" cried Bernie.

Omanyte landed on the ground hard and had a dazed expression on its face. It had been knocked out.

"Omanyte is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" declared the referee. "The victory goes to Hillary from New Bark Town!" And he raised his green flag in Hillary's direction as the crowd roared with excitement.

"Unbelievable!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel gives Hillary a decisive victory over Bernie despite the little battling experience she has! And now she will advance to the second round in this already exciting Little Cup tournament!"

Bernie fell to his knees and whined. "Oh, why me?"

"You did it, Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

Cyndaquil ran to its happy Trainer and they both embraced.

"That Flame Wheel attack was red-hot," said Hillary. "You and I are going all the way."

"That was awesome," said Tristan. "Hillary came through like a champ."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed as they cheered for Hillary's victory.

"And not only that, Cyndaquil learned Flame Wheel," added Sakura. "Now I'm even more fired up to train even harder so I can travel on my own someday."

"And you've got what it takes Sakura," said Satsuki. "Just like she does."

Sakura nodded.

* * *

"I was a little worried when you went up against Omanyte, sis," said Tristan as he and his friends conversed at the Pokémon Center later that evening.

"Me, too," replied Hillary. "But I remained calm and focused on what was important: And that was victory."

"That's how you do it," smiled Tristan.

"Hey, Hillary, do you think we can stay and watch the rest of the tournament?" asked Satsuki. "Sakura would love to see how she can do better in battle when she watches you."

"Sure, it's all right with me," said Hillary.

"The more, the merrier," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly agreed.

"But first, let's prepare for tomorrow's matches," yawned Hillary. "I'm tired." And she walked out of the lobby and towards the bedrooms.

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued (sample))_

Tristan chuckled. "I should've guessed. But first, let's eat." And he ran after Hillary so he could get her to dinner before she fell asleep.

* * *

_And so, Hillary wins the first match in the Little Cup with relative ease, and advances to the second round. What opponents will she face? Find out as she and Tristan continue their journey to the Johto League!_

► **TO BE CONTINUED**


	16. THE LITTLE CUP, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 16 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey in the Johto region. I may shorten some unimportant battles in this and the next two chapters. But as I mentioned in the last chapter, the Little Cup is based on the Little Cup in _Pokémon Stadium 2._ As always, please feel free to read and review.**

**TEASER: Hillary's opponent, Grant, claims that he has unbeatable Pokémon! Will Hillary be able to defeat them and advance in the tournament?**

**Chapter 16: THE LITTLE CUP, PART 2**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard in "Chikorita's Big Upset")))_

_After a hard-fought, hard-won battle that earned Tristan a Zephyr Badge from Gym Leader Falkner, our heroes decided to stay in Violet City so Hillary could participate in the prestigious Little Cup. All Trainers had to do was register any Pokémon that haven't evolved yet, and are inexperienced in battling._

_They ran into the Kimono Sisters, who found a wild Sentret roaming the streets of Violet City, and took it in to the Pokémon Center. The youngest of the Kimono Sisters, Sakura, wanted to see Pokémon battles firsthand, so she decided to watch Hillary compete._

_Almost immediately, she challenged Hillary to a battle so she could prepare for the tournament._

_Hillary and Sakura both used their Eevee to battle it out, but during the battle, Sakura's Eevee evolved into a powerful Espeon, whose Psybeam defeated Hillary's Eevee._

_After a slight detour at the Pokémon Center, Hillary and her Pokémon were ready to participate in the Little Cup, especially now that they've added the little Sentret as part of the family._

_The Little Cup tournament consisted of three-on-three battles with 256 Trainers battling it out for the Little Cup trophy._

_In the first round, she went up against a Youngster named Bernie. Her Squirtle easily overpowered her Slugma and Cyndaquil made short work of Sunkern. But Bernie's final Pokémon, Omanyte, gave her Cyndaquil some big problems. Despite the disadvantage, Cyndaquil was able to defeat Omanyte thanks in part to Sunkern's Sunny Day, and mostly to Cyndaquil's new attack, Flame Wheel._

_Now she's advancing further into the Little Cup. What opponents will she battle against? The action is just getting started!_

* * *

Tristan and the Kimono Sisters were excitedly watching Hillary's second battle in Violet City's new stadium the next day as the second round of the Little Cup continued.

Hillary was battling a Trainer named Stacy as Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for her from their seats.

"We've seen some overwhelming strength from our young contender, Hillary, as her Squirtle makes short work of Stacy's Pidgey and Rattata," said the announcer. "And now, Stacy has only one Pokémon left. The question is...who will Stacy's last Pokémon be?"

Stacy took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Snubbull!" she shouted.

A pink bipeadal dog-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the Poké Ball. It had blue polka dots covering its body.

"I've never seen that Pokémon before," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

_"Snubbull: The Fairy Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"While it may appear gruff and grumpy, deep down, Snubbull is actually a caring Pokémon."_

"That Snubbull looks like it could bite anybody," remarked Sakura.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that it always acts that way," added Satsuki.

"Let's see how Hillary handles this," said Tristan.

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised his red and green flags in the air.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Hour of the Houndour"))_

"Snubbull, use Tackle attack!" commanded Stacy.

Snubbull started charging at Squirtle full-body style.

"Squirtle, use Withdraw!" instructed Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs shrunk into its shell as Snubbull rammed it with its Tackle attack. Even though the shell was sent flying, Squirtle didn't take any damage.

"Squirtle, Water Gun attack!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs shot back out of the shell and it fired a blast of water from its mouth at Snubbull, scoring a direct hit.

"Squirtle's Water Gun soaks Snubbull!" said the announcer.

Snubbull and Squirtle both landed on their feet.

"Snubbull, use Scary Face!" commanded Stacy.

Snubbull ran toward Squirtle. Then, when it came close, it made a very angry and scary face that frightened Squirtle so much that it was sent rolling backward in fear.

"Hang on, Squirtle," encouraged Hillary.

"All right, now Lick attack!" called Stacy.

Snubbul came close to a surprised Squirtle again, and used its tongue to lick Squirtle, scaring it even more.

Tristan and the Kimono Sisters made grimaces as they watched.

"Snubbull's Scary Face and Lick attacks have Squirtle scared stiff!" said the announcer.

Sure enough, that's what happened, for Snubbull's combination attack had left Squirtle paralyzed with fear.

"That's a great combo," remarked Tristan. "This particular Snubbull not only looks intimidating, but is, especially since its Scary Face and Lick attacks can do a lot of damage in a short time."

"Come on, Squirtle, you can do it!" encouraged Hillary.

Squirtle struggled back on its feet and awaited Hillary's next direction.

"Snubbull, let's not draw this out any longer, so let's use another Tackle attack," instructed Stacy.

"Squirtle, use your Skull Bash!" commanded Hillary.

Both Pokémon charged at one another, but Squirtle glowed in a silver aura.

"Snubbull uses Tackle while Squirtle counters with Skull Bash," said the announcer. "Who will come out on top in this battle?"

Both Pokémon collided, but Squirtle's Skull Bash proved to be more powerful as Snubbull was sent flying into one of the stadium walls.

"No, Snubbull!" cried Stacy.

Snubbull landed hard on the ground with a thud and had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Snubbull is unable to battle...Squirtle is the winner, and the second-round victory goes to Hillary from New Bark Town!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in Hillary's direction.

_(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fowl Play"))_

The crowd roared in excitement as Tristan and the Kimono Sisters proudly looked on.

"Hillary scores another decisive victory!" said the announcer. "She will advance to round three."

Hillary picked up Squirtle and held it in her arms. "You were just great, Squirtle," said Hillary. And she happily embraced it.

"I knew Hillary could do it," said Tristan.

"She's proven to be a great Trainer," remarked Satsuki. "And she gets better and better with every battle."

"I agree," added Sakura. "She really knows what she's doing."

_I think the Little Cup was a great idea, _thought Tristan. _She'll gain more and more battling experience, and she'll grow even closer with her Pokémon. She's been battling like a true champion ever since the Little Cup began_

"Trainers and spectators, round three begins bright and early tomorrow," said the announcer. "So rest up, and be ready for even more action tomorrow than there was today!"

The crowd continued to roar in excitement as Hillary and Stacy exited the stadium.

* * *

"I didn't think your Squirtle would beat that Snubbull's Scary Face and Lick combination," said Sakura to Hillary that evening at the Pokémon Center.

"Well, it was pretty scary," replied Hillary.

"You should be proud of yourself, sis," said Tristan.

"It's all thanks to the experience travelling with you all this time," said Hillary.

"It's more than that," said Tristan. "You've trusted your instincts and believed in your Pokémon."

"Tristan's right," said Satsuki.

"Couldn't agree more," added Sumomo.

"Well said," put in Tamao.

"Yeah," finished Koume.

Presently, the screen flashed as Nurse Joy made the announcement over the P.A. system.

"May I have your attention please?" said Nurse Joy. "The cards are all in place for the first round. Only 64 contestants remain, so be sure to give it your all as the Little Cup continues!"

"Let's go see who I face next!" said Hillary excitedly as she ran to the front desk.

Everyone else followed.

Hillary saw her picture as she looked at her match-up. She saw a young male Trainer in a camper uniform in the picture going up against her in her next match. "How tough can this Trainer be?"

"I don't know, Hillary," replied Tristan. "I've never seen him before."

"So, you're my next opponent, are you?" said a voice.

Everyone turned around to see the boy camper just like in the picture.

"My name's Grant," said the camper. "I'm the world's future champion of all battles! And guess what? My Pokémon are gonna totally overpower yours in our battle tomorrow."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Grant," replied Hillary.

"Oh, but I am sure," smirked Grant. "This is gonna be so easy."

Hillary grunted. "I don't care how good he thinks he is. I'll show him that there's more to Pokémon despite the strengths they have."

"That's the spirit, sis," said Tristan. "Just keep on battling the way only you know how, and you can't lose."

"Right," replied Hillary.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was in the stadium eagerly watching as Hillary prepared to battle Grant in the third round.

"I'm not sure if I should believe Grant's statement as the world's future champion," said Tristan suspiciously.

"Yeah, something's not right," agreed Sakura.

Presently, Hillary entered the arena, feeling confident.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Hillary as the crowd roared in excitement and the announcer began to speak.

"Welcome to day three of the Pokémon Little Cup," said the announcer. ""We've already seen some highly contested battles right here in this stadium. Up first is Hillary from New Bark Town. She faces off against Grant from right here in Violet City!"

The crowd roared in excitement as Grant came into the stadium to face Hillary.

"Today's the day you're going down, Hillary," said Grant. "My unbeatable team will totally agree with me!"

"We'll see about that," replied Hillary.

The referee, carrying his red and green flags, came to the podium. "Same rules as before," he said. "Each Trainer may use three Pokémon."

"Go, Cyndaquil!" shouted Grant as he threw a Poké Ball.

Grant's Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, Grant's starting with a Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "He must've just started out as a Trainer."

"Yeah, but I'm sure Hillary can handle it," replied Sakura.

"I choose Squirtle!" said Hillary as she threw a Poké Ball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Hillary made a good choice," remarked Satsuki. "Squirtle's Water-type characteristics give it a big advantage over Fire-types."

"Let the battle begin!" declared the referee as he raised both his red and green flags in the air.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Cyndaquil, start off with Flamethrower!" instructed Grant.

Grant's Cyndaquil ignited its flame from the four holes on its back, then it shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth straight toward Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a blast of water from its mouth at Cyndaquil's Flamethrower.

The two attacks collided, creating a cloud of steam.

"Squirtle and Cyndaquil prove to be strong, little battlers," said the announcer.

"I didn't know that Cyndaquil's Flamethrower could be an even match for Squirtle's Water Gun," remarked Sumomo.

"It's like Grant's toying with Hillary or something," put in Tamao.

Koume agreed. "I wonder if this is all part of Grant's strategy to throw Hillary off."

"Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!" commanded Grant.

Cyndaquil sped toward Squirtle with a line trailing behind it.

Quick Attack came very fast, too fast for Squirtle to dodge it, as it got hit hard.

"Wow, that's fast!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil's Quick Attack scores big time!"

However, Squirtle managed to land on its feet.

"Yeah, hang tough, Squirtle!" said Hillary.

"Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower once more!" instructed Grant.

Cyndaquil shot another powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Squirtle.

"That'll be enough of that!" said Hillary. "Squirtle, dodge it and use your Water Gun!"

Squirtle jumped out of the way of Cyndaquil's Flamethrower, then it shot another blast of water from its mouth at Cyndaquil, scoring a direct hit.

"Now it's Squirtle time to take a turn as it douses Cyndaquil with Water Gun!" said the announcer.

"Hmph!" said Grant. "Fine then. Cyndaquil, return!" He took out Cyndaquil's Poké Ball, and Cyndaquil was shot back inside in a red beam of energy.

"Grant decides to switch Pokémon," said the announcer.

Grant put Cyndaquil's Poké Ball away, took out a second one, and threw it. "Go, Chikorita!"

Grant's Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of the Poké Ball.

"Grant substitutes Chikorita for Cyndaquil," said the announcer.

"That's great, so now, he's using a Grass Pokémon, and that's bad for Squirtle," said Sakura disdainfully.

"I'm sure Hillary can handle it," said Tristan.

"Squirtle, return!" called Hillary as she returned Squirtle back to its Poké Ball. Then she took out another Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Cyndaquil!"

Hillary's Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of the Poké Ball.

"And now Hillary has substituted Cyndaquil for her Squirtle," said the announcer.

"You have a Cyndaquil, too?!" gasped Grant.

"Mm-hm," said Tristan. "Just like I told you. Hillary knows what she's doing."

Sakura was puzzled.

"In battle, a Trainer faces surprises of all kinds," explained Tristan. "Things like this can really put a Trainer to the test. But since Hillary saw that Grant had a Chikorita, she sent out Cyndaquil to take Squirtle's place."

"Right," agreed Satsuki. "It seems like Hillary's learned things pretty quickly in her short time as a Pokémon Trainer."

"No big deal," said Grant. "Chikorita, use Vine Whip!"

_(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos (as heard in "The Lost Lapras"))_

Chikorita shot two vines from its bud necklace at Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, Smokescreen attack!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a thick, black cloud of smoke from its mouth at Chikorita, who was left unable to see.

"Hillary cleverly uses Cyndaquil's Smokescreen to dodge Vine Whip," said the announcer.

"Chikorita, try hitting it with your Razor Leaf!" commanded Grant.

Chikorita shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves through Cyndaquil's Smokescreen, but every last one of them missed Cyndaquil.

"Rats!" grunted Grant.

"Flamethrower!" shouted Hillary.

Grant was surprised to see Cyndaquil shoot a powerful flame through the Smokescreen to blast Chikorita with a super-effective hit.

"Surprise!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil scores a direct hit with Flamethrower while still under cover from Smokescreen!"

"Come on, Chikorita, battle back with Tackle attack!" ordered Grant.

As the Smokescreen cleared, Chikorita charged at Cyndaquil full-body style.

"Cyndaquil, finish Chikorita off with a Quick Attack!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil sped toward Chikorita with a white line trailing behind it. Its speed proved to be much stronger than Chikorita's Tackle as it successfully pushed it back, sending it flying.

"Cyndaquil manages to keep the momentum going as it scores big with Quick Attack!" said the announcer.

"Chikorita, no!" cried Grant.

Chikorita crashed into the stadium wall and collapsed on the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Chikorita is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

The crowd went wild as the victory was announced.

"Cyndaquil shows how cunning it is as it defeats Chikorita with plenty of firepower," said the announcer. "Grant has two Pokémon left."

Grant returned Chikorita to its Poké Ball. "You were great, Chikorita. But now, it's time to show Hillary my latest surprise. Totodile, I choose you!" He threw his next Poké Ball.

Sure enough, a Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

"Grant's third Pokémon will be a Totodile," said the announcer.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say about it," said Tristan as he scanned Totodile with his Pokédex.

_"Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Its highly developed jaw is so powerful, it can crush practically anything. Trainers beware: this Pokémon loves to use its teeth."_

"So his team consists of the three starter Pokémon that Trainers can get from the Johto region," said Satsuki.

"That must be why Grant said his team was unbeatable," added Sakura.

"Yeah, but now, Hillary is facing a Water-type, which puts Cyndaquil at a disadvantage," reminded Tristan. "But we'll see if she has a trick or two up her sleeve that will get her through."

"Let's make up for lost ground, Totodile," said Grant. "Blast Cyndaquil with your Water Gun attack!"

Totodile fired a powerful blast of water from its mouth straight toward Cyndaquil.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil, agile as ever, nimbly jumped into the air, successfully dodging Totodile's Water Gun.

"Totodile uses Water Gun, but Cyndaquil was too fast for it," said the announcer.

"Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Totodile, scoring a hit on it.

"Cyndaquil strikes back with Flamethrower," said the announcer. "But is it enough to keep Totodile down?"

Totodile leaped out of the fire, surprising Hillary and Cyndaquil.

"Totodile, Scratch attack!" ordered Grant.

Totodile charged at Cyndaquil and proceeded to scratch it with its sharp claws.

"Cyndaquil, Smokescreen!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a thick, black cloud of smoke from its mouth, temporarily blinding Totodile.

"Totodile, use Water Gun to blast through that Smokescreen!" commanded Grant.

Totodile shot a blast of water from its mouth, dissipating Cyndaquil's Smokescreen defense. Then it appeared right in Cyndaquil's face, surprising it.

"Totodile's Water Gun blasts right through Cyndaquil's Smokescreen," said the announcer.

"Totodile, Bite attack now!" ordered Grant.

Totodile used its sharp jaw to grab Cyndaquil and spin it around.

"Ouch!" said the announcer. "Totodile's powerful jaw hits hard."

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Hillary.

"Finish it off, Totodile!" commanded Grant. "Water Gun!"

And in a trice, Totodile, using its Water Gun, blasted Cyndaquil right into the stadium wall, causing it to collapse.

Cyndaquil had been knocked out.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle...Totodile wins!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air and the crowd roared.

"Folks, Cyndaquil was defeated by Totodile's Water Gun," said the announcer.

"No way!" gasped Sakura.

"Well, Water-types do have the advantage over Fire-types," said Satsuki. "So it's no surprise that Cyndaquil lost that one so easily."

"I choose Eevee!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out of it, and was ready to battle.

"Hillary's third Pokémon is her Eevee," said the announcer.

"Totodile, use your Water Gun now!" commanded Grant.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))_

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water at Eevee.

"Quick, Eevee, use your Sand-Attack!" shouted Hillary.

Eevee used its hind legs and kicked up sand to block Totodile's Water Gun.

"Eevee, Quick Attack now!" ordered Hillary.

Eevee sped at Totodile as a white line streaked behind it, then it rammed into Totodile hard.

"What a turnaround!" said the announcer. "Totodile's gone from predator to prey thanks to Eevee's combination of Sand-Attack and Quick Attack."

"Hurry, Totodile, use Bite attack!" commanded Grant.

Totodile charged at Eevee as it prepared to bite down on it with its teeth.

"Eevee, use Quick Attack to get out of the way!" instructed Hillary.

Eevee dodged Totodile's Bite attack as it sped out of the way and a white line trailed behind it.

"Now finish it off with a Tackle attack!" ordered Hillary.

Eevee ran as hard and as fast as it could and rammed into Totodile hard, sending it skyward.

"Eevee scores a direct hit with a Tackle attack!" said the announcer. "This could be the end for Totodile."

"Totodile!" cried Grant.

Totodile landed head first on the ground, and it collapsed. It had been knocked out.

"Totodile is unable to battle...Eevee wins!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

"Eevee's maneuverability allowed it to score Hillary another victory," said the announcer.

"I knew she'd be able to make a comeback," said Tristan confidently as Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Hillary.

"What do you mean?" asked Sakura.

"Well, most of Hillary's Pokémon are small, like Grant's Pokémon," explained Tristan. "But most of them can use speed attacks like Quick Attack, and that may be what gives Hillary an edge in most of her battles here in the Little Cup."

"Small, but nimble," Sakura said to herself. "I can remember that."

"Go, Cyndaquil!" cried Grant as he threw his Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

Grant's Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it and ignited the flame from the four holes on its back.

"Grant's final Pokémon will be his Cyndaquil," said the announcer. "Will it be able to pull off two victories in a row after its earlier battle with Squirtle?"

"Cyndaquil, use your Flame Wheel!" shouted Grant.

Cyndaquil spun itself into a wheel and quickly rolled towards Eevee.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" ordered Hillary.

Eevee sped out of the way as a white line streaked behind it.

"Don't let it get away, Cyndaquil!" ordered Grant. "Keep up the Flame Wheel attack!"

Cyndaquil didn't stop as it quickly changed direction and struck Eevee full force, sending it skyward, much to Hillary and her friends' shock.

"Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel scores a direct hit!" said the announcer. "This could be it!"

"Eevee, hang on!" encouraged Hillary.

"Now blast it with Flamethrower!" commanded Grant.

Cyndaquil shot a fiery blast from its mouth at Eevee.

Just as it came down, Eevee was sent hurtling by Flamethrower at one of the stadium walls and collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

"Eevee is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

"Cyndaquil's red-hot victory against Eevee leaves both Trainers with only one Pokémon left," said the announcer.

Hillary returned Eevee to its Poké Ball and held it close. "You were great, Eevee. Take a long rest." She put Eevee's Poké Ball away, took out Squirtle's, and threw it. "I choose you, Squirtle, let's do it!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "Dueling Heroes"))_

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of its Poké Ball.

"Hillary's final Pokémon will be Squirtle," said the announcer.

"Let's just hope Squirtle can help Hillary clench this match," said Tristan nervously.

"Don't worry," said Sakura confidently. "I'm sure Hillary knows what to do. You said so yourself, remember?"

Tristan gave a chuckle. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"Let's end this one right away, Cyndaquil," said Grant. "Use your Flamethrower!"

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot a blast of fire from its mouth while Squirtle shot a blast of water from its mouth to counter it.

Sure enough, both attacks collided, creating a huge cloud of steam.

"Both Pokémon are evenly matched!" said the announcer. "Battles don't get any better than this right here at the Little Cup in this stadium!"

"Cyndaquil, use your Flame Wheel attack!" commanded Grant.

Cyndaquil spun itself into a ball as it surrounded itself into a wheel of fire, spinning right toward Squirtle.

_I can't take any more chances with this attack, _thought Hillary. "Squirtle, Withdraw!"

Squirtle, on Hillary's command, shrunk its head and limbs into its shell, and when it was struck, it was sent flying.

"Squirtle's been sent flying, but Flame Wheel doesn't seem to have hurt it," said the announcer.

"Now, Squirtle, Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle's limbs and head emerged from its shell, and it fired a stream of water from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Cyndaquil.

"Squirtle's Water Gun makes a clean hit!" said the announcer. "Extremely effective!"

"This battle isn't over!" said Grant. "Not by a long shot! Cyndaquil, use your Quick Attack!"

Squirtle landed on its feet just as Cyndaquil sped right toward it with a white line streaking behind it.

Cyndaquil's Quick Attack hit the mark as Squirtle was sent flying.

"Whoa!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil's Quick Attack was so fast that Squirtle didn't have time to dodge it!"

"Hang on, Squirtle!" encouraged Hillary. "Water Gun!"

Squirtle managed to straighten itself out and shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Cyndaquil, scoring another super-effective hit on it.

"Unbelievable!" said the announcer. "Squirtle managed to land a direct hit while in midair!"

Cyndaquil fell to the ground, but it wasn't out yet.

"Don't give up yet, Cyndaquil," encouraged Grant. "Hit it with Flame Wheel at full power!"

Cyndaquil spun into a ball and rolled right at Squirtle as fast as it could go.

"I don't think so, Grant!" said Hillary. "Squirtle, hit it head on with Skull Bash!"

Squirtle, glowing in a silver aura headed straight for Cyndaquil and its Flame Wheel.

Closer and closer Cyndaquil and Squirtle came until...

_BAM!_

...both of them made contact and tried to push one another backwards in the hopes of attaining victory. But one tense moment later...

_BOOM!_

The two attacks coming from both Pokémon created an explosion so huge that it made the stadium shake.

"Skull Bash and Flame Wheel collide with a vengeance!" said the announcer. "It's anyone's guess who will claim this victory from this explosive result. But any second, we'll know who will win and advance to the fourth round in the Little Cup. The question is...who will it be?"

Tristan, Sakura, Satsuki, Sumomo, Tamao, and Koume all watched anxiously as the smoke cleared.

Both Cyndaquil and Squirtle were standing on their feet as they stared at each other warily.

Squirtle started to waver.

But a second later, Cyndaquil collapsed on the ground, knocked out from the explosion.

Cyndaquil is unable to battle...Squirtle is the winner!" declared the referee. "The victory goes to Hillary of New Bark Town!"

_(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!))_

Hillary was baffled, but then she smiled at the outcome as the crowd roared the loudest it ever roared in the entire tournament.

"She does it!" said the announcer. "After a hard-fought battle, Hillary emerges victorious! Our young Trainer will proceed to round four of the Little Cup Tournament!"

Tristan and his friends breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Phew! That was a close one," said Tristan.

"You said it," agreed Sakura. "I don't know how long I could've been able to stand the suspense!"

Grant returned Cyndaquil to its Poké Ball and held it close. "Great job, Cyndaquil," he said as Hillary came to the center of the field to meet him.

"That was a great battle, Grant," said Hillary. "I've never had as tough a battle here as I did with you today."

"Thank you, Hillary," replied Grant. "You team was great, too. It looks like my team wasn't unbeatable after all. But I know they're strong Pokémon already. From now on, I'm gonna train even harder, and my Pokémon and I will get even stronger together. I hope we can have another battle someday."

"You bet," smiled Hillary as she shook hands with Grant.

Tristan and his friends smiled as they looked on.

* * *

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, and the Kimono Sisters were conversing inside the Pokémon Center.

"It sounds like you've made another new friend," smiled Tristan.

"Right," agreed Hillary. "I can't wait until Grant gets stronger. Then we'll battle again."

"It sounds like Grant learned that just having three starters doesn't always make him unbeatable," said Satsuki. "I think that battle made both of you even better Trainers today than you were yesterday."

Sakura nodded in agreement.

As did Pikachu and Togepi.

* * *

_Once rivals, but now, good friends. Hillary and Grant forge a brand new friendship as she advances to the next round in the Little Cup, and the journey to the Johto League continues._

► **TO BE CONTINUED**


	17. THE LITTLE CUP, PART 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 17 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You remember Ritchie from the anime, right? He makes an appearance starting in this chapter. And you may recall that his Charmander, Zippo, evolved into Charmeleon between the first time he met Ash at the Pokémon League and the time he reunited with him again in the Whirl Islands. I'm going to make this chapter be that very point that Zippo evolves. I invite you to read this chapter, and you'll see what I mean.**

**TEASER: Tristan trains with a Trainer named Ritchie while Hillary sails through the fourth and fifth rounds of the Little Cup. But in the quarter-finals, she faces a tough Trainer named Rex, whose Pokémon overwhelm hers!**

**Chapter 17: THE LITTLE CUP, PART 3**

_(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001)_

_Our heroes are still in Violet City. Falkner suggested to Hillary that she compete in the prestigious Little Cup tournament, which is where unevolved Pokémon with little to no battling experience are allowed to compete._

_And indeed, she did, for last time, she was in her toughest battle yet, as she faced Grant in round three._

_Grant, a Trainer who used Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile, all three of the starter Pokémon in the Johto region, claimed that he was unbeatable. And although Hillary was able to defeat Grant's Chikorita using her Cyndaquil, his Totodile proved to be too much for the Fire Mouse Pokémon to handle._

_Next, Hillary sent out her Eevee to battle Totodile. Using its speed, Eevee managed to defeat Totodile, but Grant sent out his Cyndaquil to finish Eevee off._

_At that point, both Trainers were down to their last Pokémon...Hillary with Squirtle and Grant with Cyndaquil. _

_Both Pokémon battled hard, but when it came down to Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel and Squirtle's Skull Bash, it was Squirtle who came out the winner. And thanks to that, Hillary and her friends can breathe big sighs of relief as she advances to the next round._

* * *

_(music continues)_

"The battles here have intensified to a fever pitch in round four of the Little Cup," said the announcer the next day. "Hillary and her Cyndaquil are having an easy time getting from one victory to the next while Janet has already lost her Sandshrew and Zubat. Now she's down to her last Pokémon, Spinarak."

"Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back as it shot a powerful flame from its mouth, scoring a scorching hit on Spinarak.

"Cyndaqui's Flamethrower shoots across the stadium!" said the announcer.

"Spinarak, no!" cried Janet.

Spinarak collapsed in a heap, knocked out.

"Spinarak is unable to continue...Cyndaquil wins!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

Tristan and the Kimono Sisters watched proudly as Hillary secured her fourth win.

"Hillary wins handily as she advances to the fifth round," said the announcer as the crowd roared in excitement.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary had a lovely dinner with their Pokémon while they conversed with the Kimono Sisters.

"That was an awesome battle, Hillary," said Tristan. "You should be very proud."

"I am," replied Hillary. "I couldn't have made it this far without my Pokémon, and all your support."

The Kimono Sisters smiled. They knew that Hillary's heart was in the right place.

"I can't wait to see another battle," said Sakura.

It was then that Satsuki made an announcement. "We'll need to get back to Ecruteak City in a couple of days, and we'll need to be at another tea ceremony bright and early on that day."

Sakura felt sad. "I forgot all about that."

"But at least we'll be able to see your battle tomorrow before we go," added Sumomo.

Sakura felt better after that.

"And I'll be sure to win this one just for you, Sakura," smiled Hillary.

"Thanks, Hillary," replied Sakura. "Do your best."

* * *

The next day, just before Tristan and his friends were just about to head to the stadium to watch Hillary's fifth round battle, a Trainer with brown hair and blue eyes came into the Pokémon Center. He was wearing teal pants, a teal short-sleeved shirt, a dark teal vest, and a light purple cap with a light yellow band and red buttons. He also had on dark blue fingerless gloves with aqua borders.

A Pikachu was sitting on the Trainer's shoulder. It looked similar to Tristan's Pikachu, but it had a scruff of fur on the top of its head.

"Excuse me, could somebody help me over here?" the Trainer asked politely.

"Sure, what can we help you with?" asked Tristan.

"I want to have a battle," replied the Trainer. "One of my Pokémon has been restless lately, and it has some energy to burn." Then he noticed Tristan with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. To him he looked similar to Ash. "No way! Ash, is that you?"

"Not quite," replied Tristan. "My name's Tristan. This is my Pikachu."

Pikachu greeted the Trainer warmly.

"I'm his sister, Hillary," added Hillary. "That sure is a nice Pikachu you have there."

"Thanks, replied the Trainer. "This Pikachu's name is Sparky."

"Sparky," repeated Tristan. "Nice name. What's yours?"

"My name's Ritchie," answered the Trainer. "Tristan reminds me so much of a good friend named Ash, whom I first met at the Pokémon League last year." He saw the Kimono Sisters standing next to Tristan and Hillary. "Who are these girls?"

"These are the Kimono Sisters," answered Hillary as she introduced them one by one. "That's Satsuki. Over there is Sumomo. Next to her is Tamao, and in front of her is Koume. And last but not least is Sakura. They all train Eevee...or should I say the evolved forms of Eevee, and have their own traditions.

"That's pretty cool," smiled Ritchie. "I need to ask one of you a favor, though."

"You just name it, Ritchie," replied Tristan.

"I want to battle with one of your Pokémon," said Ritchie. "My Charmander, Zippo, has been wanting to battle nonstop lately, and I don't know how to slow it down. I'm not saying that it needs to slow down, but I would like someone to battle me...However, I noticed that with the Little Cup going on, I..."

"Don't worry about it, Ritchie," said Tristan. "I'll battle with you."

"But what about my battle, big bro?" asked Hillary.

"You can do this, sis," Tristan assured her. "I promise I'll be rooting for you in spirit."

"Okay," said Hillary sadly.

"Come on, Hillary!" said Sakura excitedly. "We'll watch your battle because we believe in you, right?"

"Right!" agreed Hillary. "I'll battle in the stadium while you help Ritchie, okay, Tristan?"

"You got it," replied Tristan. "Come on, Ritchie, let's go!"

And everyone raced out of the Pokémon Center, feeling as excited as ever.

Tristan and Ritchie went to the center of Violet City to train while Hillary and the Kimono Sisters ran in the other direction to the stadium for Hillary's fifth round battle.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival's Theme (as heard in "Trouble's Brewing"))_

At the center of town, Tristan and Ritchie faced each other as Pikachu and Sparky watched.

"Listen, Tristan, just because we're friends doesn't mean I'll go easy on you," warned Ritchie. "I've improved since last year's Pokémon League competition."

"Okay, Ritchie, bring it on," replied Tristan.

Ritchie took out a Poké Ball that had a sticker of a star on it.

"Nice star, Ritchie," said Tristan.

"I put these on every one of my Poké Balls, so I know they're mine," explained Ritchie. "Okay, let's get to it. Go, Zippo!" And he threw his Poké Ball.

An orange lizard-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Sure enough, it was a Charmander.

"That Charmander of yours is well-trained," remarked Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Chikorita, go!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of the Friend Ball.

Ritchie was confused. "Why Chikorita?"

"I'm always looking for a challenge," answered Tristan. "Ready, Chikorita? This'll be a tough one."

Chikorita nodded in excitement as it prepared for battle.

"Zippo, Flamethrower!" commanded Ritchie.

Ritchie's Charmander fired a hot blast of fire from its mouth right at Chikorita.

"Dodge it, Chikorita!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita jumped out of the way just in time.

"Now use your Sweet Scent attack!" instructed Tristan.

Chikorita emitted a pink cloud from the leaf. It smelled sweet and relaxing, just like the attack described.

Zippo was relaxing in Chikorita's Sweet Scent.

"Zippo!" cried Ritchie.

"Now Tackle it, Chikorita!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita charged at Zippo, and scored a direct hit on it, sending it backward.

But Zippo wouldn't go down without a real fight.

"Your Chikorita's stronger than I thought, Tristan," remarked Ritchie.

"Your Charmander's really good, too, Ritchie," replied Tristan. "Chikorita, Razor Leaf attack!"

Chikorita fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Zippo.

"Zippo, use your Slash attack to stop Chikorita's Razor Leaf!" instructed Ritchie.

Zippo furiously slashed Chikorita's Razor Leaf attack into pieces.

"Chikorita, use your Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita unleashed two green vines from its bud necklace.

"Zippo, grab the vines and reel it in!" shouted Ritchie.

Quickly, Zippo clutched Chikorita by its vines and pulled it close, surprising it in the process.

"Chikorita, use Zippo's power and use your Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita used Zippo's momentum to charge right at it as forcefully as it could.

But that was just what Ritchie was waiting for. "Zippo, Flamethrower!"

Zippo shot a powerful close-range stream of fire from its mouth at Chikorita, scoring a direct hit.

"Chikorita, no!" cried Tristan.

Zippo's Flamethrower sent Chikorita flying right past Tristan, and Chikorita collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

Quickly, Tristan and Pikachu rushed over to his defeated Pokémon. "Are you okay, Chikorita?"

The slightly scorched, but satisfied Chikorita gave a weak reply.

"Good job, Chikorita," said Tristan as he took out Chikorita's Friend Ball. "You deserve a rest." And he returned Chikorita inside. He then turned to Ritchie and Zippo. "That was a great battle. This was great experience for both it and me."

Ritchie was a little concerned. "How's Chikorita?"

"Oh, Chikorita just needs a good rest, that's all," replied Tristan.

"That's good," said Ritchie. He turned to Zippo. "As for you, Zippo, you were great, too."

Zippo gave a happy reply. But suddenly, it began to glow in a bright white light.

Everyone was in shock at what was happening.

"What's happening to Zippo?" asked Ritchie.

"Zippo's starting to evolve!" gasped Tristan.

Sure enough Zippo grew larger as it evolved. When it stopped glowing, its body had turned red. It had bigger claws, and it had a single horn-like protrusion on the back of its head.

"Wow," said Ritchie. "Zippo just evolved into a Charmeleon."

"Congratulations, Ritchie," said Tristan. "You should be very proud."

"It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for your help," replied Ritchie. "Now let's go see your sister battle."

"Okay," smiled Tristan.

* * *

At the stadium, Hillary and another young Trainer, Clark, were already facing off.

"If you're just joining us, both Trainers have already lost two of their three Pokémon," said the announcer. "Hillary's final Pokémon is Cyndaquil while Clark's final Pokémon is a Mareep!"

Sure enough, a sheep-like Pokémon with fluffy cream-colored wool covering its body was ready to face off against Cyndaquil.

"You can do it, Hillary!" shouted Sakura excitedly as she, the Kimono Sisters, and Togepi cheered loudly for her.

Presently, Tristan and Ritchie arrived.

"What's going on, guys?" asked Tristan.

"Oh, hi, Tristan," said Satsuki. "How'd your battle with Ritchie go?"

"Chikorita battled well, but it lost to Zippo," answered Tristan. "But I'm still very happy for Ritchie because Zippo evolved into a Charmeleon."

"Congratulations, Ritchie!" said Sumomo.

"Thanks a lot," replied Ritchie. "Tristan was very helpful in our battle today."

It was then that Tristan noticed the Mareep. "I've never seen that Pokémon before," he said as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Mareep, the Wool Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Mareep stores static electricity in their woolly coats. They avoid battles and have mild dispositions."_

"That Mareep looks pretty strong," remarked Ritchie. "Do you think your sister can handle it?"

"Absolutely," replied Tristan. "Hillary may not look it, but she knows how to get the job done."

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Let's go, Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth.

"Mareep, use your ThunderShock attack!" ordered Clark.

Mareep's ears were filled with blue sparks, then it let loose a yellow bolt of electricity.

Both attacks collided.

"Cyndaquil's Flamethrower and Mareep's ThunderShock attacks are evenly matched!" said the announcer. "But who will come out the victor?"

Both Pokémon kept up the attacks.

But just then, Hillary noticed that Cyndaquil was tiring out as its Flamethrower was pushed back. But she quickly noticed Mareep tiring out faster than Cyndaquil was.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil stopped its Flamethrower attack and jumped out of the way.

Ritchie was surprised. "Why'd Hillary get out of the way?"

"Maybe she couldn't take the risk of taking any more damage," replied Sumomo.

"Hey, guys, take a good look at Mareep!" said Tristan.

As everyone watched, Mareep seemed to be straining as it turned up the power.

"We're winning, Mareep!" said Clark excitedly. "Let's turn up the power and finish it off!"

But just as Mareep was about to redirect its attack at Cyndaquil, it collapsed from lack of power, much to Clark's shock.

"No!" cried Clark.

"Uh-oh!" said the announcer. "Looks like Mareep has run out of juice!" said the announcer. "Could this be it?"

"Hurry, Cyndaquil, hit it with your Quick Attack now!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil sped toward Mareep as a white line streaked behind it. Sure enough, it scored a direct hit, sending Mareep careening into one of the stadium walls.

Mareep had been knocked out.

"Mareep is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" said the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

The crowd cheered loudly.

"You heard it, fans!" said the announcer. "Cyndaquil emerges victorious, and now, Hillary will proceed to the quarter-finals of the Little Cup!"

"I get it now," said Satsuki. "Hillary must've known that Mareep was running out of power, even though it seemed that it was winning. So she had Cyndaquil dodge Mareep's ThunderShock so it could save up its own power to attack."

Tristan agreed. "And now, Hillary has made it to the best eight in this tournament."

Sakura smiled. Even though this was the last battle she'd be able to see Hillary compete in for awhile, she was happy in the knowledge that Hillary would do her best in her future battles.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

Hillary and Clark met inside the Pokémon Center that night.

"How's your Mareep?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, Mareep just needs a good rest," answered Clark. "You must've known that Cyndaquil was tired, so you had it save its energy so it could attack when it had the chance. I should've watched my Mareep more carefully. From now on, I'll keep a better eye on my Pokémon, and maybe someday, we can have a rematch."

"That's the spirit, Clark," said Hillary.

"I hope you win the entire tournament, Hillary," said Clark. "I'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks, Clark," replied Hillary as Clark walked off.

"We should get some rest, sis," advised Tristan. "The quarter-finals start tomorrow."

"You're right, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

"We'll need to go back to Ecruteak City tomorrow, Tristan," said Satsuki. "We'll need to keep up our training ourselves and do more tea ceremonies.

"Yeah, unfortunately," added Sakura. "But I certainly enjoyed watching Hillary battle. I hope she takes it all the way."

"It's too bad you can't stay longer," replied Hillary, "but I really appreciate you coming over to watch me compete. I'll do my best."

"We'll head out very early tomorrow, so you probably won't see us before then," said Sumomo

"But maybe you could come and visit us in Ecruteak City sometime," suggested Tamao.

Koume agreed. "It'll be fun when you come."

"We're looking forward to it," replied Hillary.

"And Hillary, I want to thank you for helping my Eevee evolve into an Espeon," put in Sakura.

"It was my pleasure," replied Hillary. "We'll see you all again soon."

"Great meeting you all, and good night, ladies," said Tristan as the Kimono Sisters waved to him and Hillary and went to one of the bedrooms. He then turned to Hillary. "We should get to bed, too, sis. We have a big day tomorrow."

"You're right," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi yawned.

"Even the Pokémon need a little shuteye," said Ritchie as he and Sparky walked in.

"Oh, hi, Ritchie," said Tristan. "What's up?"

"I was just checking up on Zippo after our battle," explained Ritchie. "That Chikorita made it work hard for its win."

"Well, I guess that's true," said Tristan sheepishly. "Anyway, I could tell that you're a great Trainer. Taking care of Pokémon is the first and foremost responsibility of any Trainer, and I could tell that you care a lot about Zippo."

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Ritchie. "I think you're just as kind-hearted to your Pokémon as I am." And he slowly reached his hand to Pikachu and petted it in just the right spot.

"You sure know a lot about Pokémon, Ritchie," said Hillary.

"Yeah, but there's so much that we don't know," replied Ritchie. "I've recently wanted to research Pokémon folklore. When the Little Cup is over, I'll go to the Whirl Islands and see what Pokémon live there. I've also heard rumors that I could find a mysterious Pokémon."

"I think that's a great idea, Ritchie," agreed Tristan. Then he thought to himself, _I don't know what this mysterious Pokémon is, but I wish I could learn more about it._

Just then, Hillary's PokéGear rang.

Hillary took it out of her backpack and pushed the button. "Hello?"

"Hi, dear!" It was Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother. "I just thought I'd call and tell you that Grandpa and I are coming to Violet City tomorrow morning so we can watch you in the Little Cup,"

"You didn't know I was competing?" wondered Hillary.

"No, we were completely surprised when we saw you today on TV," replied Veronica. "It sounds like you're having fun."

"I am," said Hillary. "Falkner suggested that I compete in this tournament."

"That's wonderful news, dear," said Veronica. "And we'll be sure to cheer for you every step of the way."

Hillary smiled. "Thanks, Grandma. I'll do my best. I love you." She then hung up and turned to Tristan and Ritchie. "Grandma and Grandpa are coming tomorrow to watch me compete."

"That's wonderful news," said Tristan excitedly.

Ritchie then became astounded. "Was that really Veronica, the former longtime Champion?"

"Yes, it was," answered Hillary.

"That's awesome!" said Ritchie. "I've seen her in battle when I was growing up, and then, she decided to retire from being a champion, but she never told anybody whom she was handing the torch to. But Veronica in the flesh? That's really cool!"

"It sounds like you're a big fan of Grandma," said Tristan.

Ritchie nodded. But soon, he began to yawn, too. "I think I'd better get to bed, too. I'll see you guys in the morning." And he and Sparky walked to another bedroom.

"Well, let's get some sleep, too, sis," said Tristan. "Your battle starts again tomorrow."

Hillary agreed as she, Tristan, and the Pokémon walked to their bedroom for the night.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

The next morning, Tristan, Ritchie, Pikachu, Togepi, and Sparky were in their seats in the stadium bright and early as Hillary prepared to battle her sixth round opponent.

Presently, Veronica and Eric, Tristan and Hillary's grandparents, arrived. "Are we too late for the party?"

"Hey, guys!" said Tristan as he gave them both a hug. "You're just in time. Let me introduce you to my friend, Ritchie."

"It's such an honor to meet you," said Ritchie. "I've been a big fan of yours ever since I could remember."

"Well, young man, I'm glad to hear that," smiled Veronica. "Even though I'm semi-retired, I can still have fun battling every now and then."

It was then that the announcer began his speech.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the sixth round of the Little Cup tournament!" said the announcer. "As you know, many Trainers have fallen by the wayside, leaving just eight to reach the quarter-finals! And now, we introduce you to the first two Trainers battling in the first quarter-final match! Please welcome Hillary from New Bark Town and Rex from Goldenrod City!"

Hillary came out onto the field looking confident as the crowd cheered in excitement.

"Yeah, there she is!" said Tristan.

"Go, Hillary!" cheered Veronica and Eric.

Pikachu, Togepi, and Sparky showed their support for Hillary by cheering loudly.

Ritchie smiled. "Even the Pokémon are rooting for her. Let's help them cheer Hillary to victory."

Presently, another Trainer came out to the opposite end of the stadium. He was a young adult Trainer. He had short hair. Sure enough, it was Rex. "I wish you good luck today, Hillary, and may the best Trainer win," said Rex. "My kid's rooting for me, and he's a big fan of Pokémon."

"Well, let's make this a battle we'll never forget," replied Hillary.

The referee came to the field to judge the match. "Each Trainer is allowed to use three Pokémon. Whoever knocks out all three of the opposing Trainer's Pokémon will be the winner."

"Abra, go!" shouted Rex as he threw a Poké Ball.

A primarily yellow bipedal Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Its face was kite-shaped with a snout, and its eyes were closed.

"A Psychic-type right off," said Veronica as Tristan scanned Abra with his Pokédex named Dexter.

_"Abra, the Psi Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"It hypnotizes itself so that it can teleport away when it senses danger, even if it's asleep."_

"Hillary'd better be careful because she hasn't faced many Psychic Pokémon yet," said Tristan nervously.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Eric assured him. "After all, she's made it to the best eight in the tournament, right?"

"I choose you, Squirtle!" shouted Hillary as she threw her first Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Ring Masters"))_

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Squirtle should be a good match-up for Abra," remarked Ritchie.

Veronica and Eric seemed to agree with Ritchie.

"Both Trainers have chosen their Pokémon," said the announcer. "Rex will battle with his Abra while Hillary puts Squirtle to the test."

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised both flags in the air.

"Squirtle, Water Gun attack!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Abra.

"Abra, send it back with your Psychic attack," instructed Rex.

Abra opened its eyes, and they glowed red.

An instant later, Squirtle's Water Gun was stopped in its tracks. Then, just as suddenly, Squirtle's Water Gun was sent directly back at it, scoring a direct hit.

"Squirtle!" cried Hillary.

"Would you look at that!" said the announcer. "Abra's Psychic attack sent Squirtle's Water Gun back to where it came from!"

"That Psychic attack will only lead to big trouble for Hillary," said Ritchie.

"Now finish it off with your Zap Cannon attack!" commanded Rex.

Abra held its hands together as a white orb full of electricity began to surge. Then it fired the orb.

"Abra's Zap Cannon thunders across the stadium straight toward Squirtle!"

"Look out, Squirtle, Withdraw now!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell. But as Zap Cannon connected, even the shell was no match for the pulverizing blast as Squirtle took a direct hit, much to everyone's shock.

"Squirtle, no!" cried Hillary.

"Ka-boom!" said the announcer. "Zap Cannon hits with a vengeance!"

The thundering blast caused a huge explosion, causing a cloud of smoke to form.

When the smoke cleared, Squirtle was shown with a dazed expression in its face. It had been knocked out.

"Squirtle is unable to battle...Abra wins!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air.

The crowd cheered in excitement, but Tristan, his grandparents, and Ritchie were very surprised.

"Unbelievable!" said the announcer. "Squirtle was defeated in just one attack!"

"Water Pokémon like Squirtle are weak against Electric attacks like Zap Cannon," said Tristan.

"Not only that," said Veronica, "If Zap Cannon hits, the opponent always becomes paralyzed on the spot. I'm afraid this could be a tough battle for Hillary to win."

"That Rex sure knows how to teach his inexperienced Pokémon some good attacks," remarked Ritchie.

Hillary returned Squirtle to her Poké Ball and held it close. "It's okay, Squirtle," she said. "You did your very best." She took out another Poké Ball. "okay, Eevee, it's up to you now. I choose you!" She then threw the ball.

_(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster (as heard in "Electric Shock Showdown"))_

Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Hillary's second Pokémon will be an Eevee," said the announcer.

"Eevee's gonna have to make up for lost ground," said Ritchie.

"Still, I wouldn't count Hillary out of this match just yet," advised Tristan. "She may be trailing now, but she didn't make it to the quarter-finals without learning how to battle back."

"Alakazam, Zap Cannon!" ordered Rex.

Abra held its hands together like before as another orb of yellow electricity began to form. Then it fired it right at Eevee.

"Eevee, hurry and dodge it!" commanded Hillary.

Just as Abra's Zap Cannon was about to strike, Eevee jumped into the air and avoided it.

"Eevee nimbly dodges Abra's Zap Cannon," said the announcer.

"Phew!" said Veronica. "That was close...but this is so exciting!"

"You seem chipper," said Ritchie.

"Battles like this one always get me fired up," explained Veronica, "just like when I was a traveling Champion back in the day."

"I guess it runs in the family, right, Grandma?" said Tristan.

"I guess you could say that, yes," answered Veronica.

"Eevee use your Quick Attack!" shouted Hillary.

Still in midair, Eevee streaked toward Abra with a white line trailing behind it.

But that was the opening Rex was waiting for. "Okay, Abra, it's time to show them our next surprise...give it a Fire Punch!"

Abra clenched its fist as fire began to form in it. Then, with all its might, it delivered a fiery punch right in Eevee's face!

Everyone was shocked, especially Hillary.

"Abra delivers a hot Fire Punch!" said the announcer. "This Abra is sure full of surprises!"

Eevee landed on the field with a hard thud.

"Eevee, you can do it, right?" said Hillary.

Eevee struggled back on its feet, but the damage from Abra's Fire Punch left it with a nasty burn.

"What's this?" said the announcer. "It looks like Fire Punch is doing the job, even after the attack is done!"

"This is bad," said Veronica nervously. "Fire Punch has the side effect of giving an opponent a burn. I'm afraid that burn will make it worse and worse for Eevee as its stamina will continue to deteriorate."

"Hang in there, Eevee!" shouted Tristan as Pikachu, Togepi, and Sparky cheered loudly for Hillary.

Eevee, still in pain from the last attack struggled to stay in it.

"All right, Abra, it's time for another Zap Cannon," instructed Rex.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of the second Pokémon Movie "Revelation Lugia"))_

Abra got its hands together and formed another orb full of electricity, and threw it at Eevee.

"Eevee, look out!" cried Hillary.

Abra's Zap Cannon attack was getting closer and closer as the seconds rolled by.

* * *

_And so, Hillary faces Rex in the quarter-finals, and she's already down one Pokémon! Plus, she's battling with an Eevee that has a burn! What will be the outcome of this uphill battle? Time will tell as the Little Cup continues!_

► **TO BE CONTINUED**


	18. THE LITTLE CUP, PART 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 18 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as their journey through the Johto region continues. Normally, when players play in the Little Cup on _Pokémon Stadium 2, _Rex is seen as the eighth round opponent, but this time, I decided to have Rex move up to be Hillary's sixth round opponent in my last chapter. And I know it wouldn't be fair to have the protagonists win all the time. So I wanted to balance it out, but you'll see what I mean when you read. Also, you may recall that Ritchie in the anime has a Pupitar named Cruise. But what if this chapter showed Cruise as a Larvitar before it evolved? Veronica's mother and father, Rachael and Stuart are informally introduced in this chapter, particularly Stuart. As always, please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Hillary continues her battle against Rex in the quarter-finals of the Little Cup. Plus, two Team Rocket Grunts have captured a Larvitar named Cruise, and Tristan must team up with Ritchie to get it back and send them packing!**

**Chapter 18: THE LITTLE CUP, PART 4**

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard at the beginning of "Chikorita's Big Upset"))_

_Last time, Hillary easily sailed through the fourth and fifth rounds of the Pokémon Little Cup tournament and earned herself a spot in the quarter-finals._

_But her sixth-round opponent turned out to be a strong Trainer named Rex, whose Abra was psyched for battle...quite literally._

_First of all, it used its Psychic attack to send Squirtle's Water Gun right back at it. Then, without missing a beat, Rex ordered a Zap Cannon from Abra, defeating it in just one attack._

_Hillary decided to choose Eevee as her second Pokémon, and although it avoided another Zap Cannon, it ran right into Abra's Fire Punch, giving it serious damage! _

_Now, as Eevee stands completely helpless, Abra's thunderous Zap Cannon is flying straight toward it! Will Hillary be able to turn this match around and make it to the semi-finals of the Little Cup?_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

Abra's Zap Cannon thundered closer and closer to the defenseless Eevee.

"Hurry, Eevee, you've gotta get out of the way!" shouted Hillary.

Using all the strength it could muster, it jumped high into the air and avoided Abra's Zap Cannon, but it winced in pain from the burn it had.

"Eevee manages to avoid Abra's attack," said the announcer. "But how much more can Eevee take?"

"I don't think Eevee will last much longer," said Ritchie, who was now concerned. "Especially now that it has to deal with that burn."

Tristan and his grandparents seemed to agree with Ritchie, but still remained hopeful.

"That Eevee of yours has got a lot of spunk, even with that burn," remarked Rex. "But I'm afraid that won't help you win this battle. Abra, use your Psychic attack."

Abra's eyes opened and they glowed in a red aura, and so did a surprised Eevee.

"Eevee gets caught by that Psychic attack," said the announcer.

"Now, toss it, Eevee!" commanded Rex.

And with just one thrust from its head, Abra's Psychic attack allowed it to send Eevee careening into one of the stadium walls.

"Eevee!" cried Hillary.

Eevee hit the wall hard and collapsed on the ground with a dazed expression in its face. It had been knocked out.

"Eevee is unable to battle...Abra wins!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air.

The crowd cheered in excitement, but Tristan, his grandparents, Ritchie, and the Pokémon gasped in shock.

"Abra's powerful Psychic attack puts an end to Eevee's battling for the day," said the announcer. "And with that, Hillary is down to her last Pokémon."

Hillary returned her Eevee to her Poké Ball and held it close. "You were great. You earned a good rest." She then took out her third Poké Ball. "Okay, Cyndaquil, let's show Rex what a come-from-behind win looks like. I choose you!" She threw the ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Hillary's final Pokémon will be Cyndaquil," said the announcer.

"Cyndaquil should be a good match-up against Abra," said Eric.

"Yeah, but Hillary's already down two Pokémon, Grandpa," reminded Tristan. "She has to figure out a way to stop Abra plus whatever Rex's next two Pokémon will be."

Pikachu, Togepi, and Sparky cheered for Hillary as loud as they could.

"You're a great Trainer, Hillary," said Rex. "But it's time for me to end this here and now. Okay, Abra, let's give Cyndaquil a taste of your Zap Cannon."

Abra held its hands together as another white orb filled with electricity. Then it fired the orb right at Cyndaquil.

"Just like before, Abra starts out with a Zap Cannon," said the announcer.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil jumped into the air and nimbly dodged Abra's Zap Cannon, causing it to miss its target.

"Cyndaquil use your Flame Wheel!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil rolled up into a fiery ball and rolled straight toward Abra.

"I thought you might try that," said Rex. "Let's see how fired up Cyndaquil gets. Abra, Fire Punch now!"

Abra made a fist as fire burned in it. Then it made contact with Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel, causing both attacks to make contact with one another.

"Cyndaquil and Abra collide with a vengeance," said the announcer. "But who will come out on top?"

Rex was surprised. _No way! _he thought. _I thought for sure that Fire Punch would finish it off by now._

But far from finished, Cyndaquil hung on for all it was worth.

Just then, Hillary noticed that Cyndaquil was getting stronger because of Abra's Fire Punch. _That's it! We'll defeat Abra using our own firepower. Yeah, it just might work. _"All right, Cyndaquil, hit Abra with your best Flamethrower now!" she commanded.

Cyndaquil shot a stream of fire from its mouth, even in the middle of its Flame Wheel.

The force of the attack scored a direct hit on Abra and sent it flying.

"Whoa, what a hot hit!" said the announcer. "Abra's Fire Punch seems to have backfired in a big way while Cyndaquil's Flamethrower got a boost in firepower!"

"No, Abra!" cried Rex.

Abra fell on the ground and collapsed in a heap. It had been knocked out by the force of the attack.

"Abra is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

The crowd roared in excitement while Tristan and the others watched proudly.

"Cyndaquil scores an impressive victory against Rex's Abra," said the announcer. "And now we eagerly await the appearance of Rex's next Pokémon."

Rex returned Abra to its Poké Ball. "Abra, great job." He turned to Hillary. "Well, Hillary, you managed to defeat a very strong Pokémon, but now, it's time for my biggest surprise." He then took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

_(Music Cue: The Mighty Mewtwo)_

A Pokémon with a pink polyhedral body and a blue front emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had blue triangular prism feet and a blue triangular prism tail. It had a pink polyhedral head that ended in a beak, plus it had hexagon eyes.

"Rex's second choice is a Porygon, a Pokémon composed made completely out of programming code," said the announcer.

"I've never seen a Pokémon like that before," said Tristan as he scanned Porygon with his Pokédex.

_"Porygon, the Virtual Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"This artificial Pokémon was made due to extensive research. It can only perform what's in its programming."_

"That Porygon looks like it's very strong," said Veronica. "I haven't seen one of these in many years, so who knows what it can do."

"Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot another powerful stream of fire at Porygon.

"Porygon, use Conversion," instructed Rex.

Porygon glowed in a white light. But then when the light disappeared, it had the same color scheme as Cyndaquil. And when Flamethrower hit it, it didn't seem to mind at all.

"Flamethrower makes a clean hit after Porygon uses Conversion to change its color," said the announcer.

"Well, as long as it doesn't attack Cyndaquil, Hillary should be okay, right?" said Ritchie.

_I don't know, _thought Tristan. _There must be some reason why Porygon used Conversion. Rex must be up to something._

"Cyndaquil, use another Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil shot another blast of fire at Porygon, but when it hit it this time, it didn't seem to take any damage at all.

"Hey, what's the deal?" said Hillary. "Cyndaquil's Fire attacks don't seem to be working!"

"That's right," replied Rex. "Conversion changes Porygon's type to whatever type the Pokémon it's battling. So it's able to resist your attacks that come from that Pokémon. In other words, just because your Flamethrower and Flame Wheel attacks can work, doesn't mean that they will work because Porygon has the same type characteristics."

_(Music Cue: Radio Tower Takeover)_

Hillary gasped in shock.

"Now I've seen it all!" said the announcer. "Porygon used Conversion to make itself resistant against Cyndaquil's Fire attacks!"

"That's why Rex used Conversion," said Tristan. "He must've planned this from the beginning and used Abra first. He wanted to take out Squirtle at the beginning of the battle so that he didn't have any problems against any Fire-type Pokémon later on."

"This doesn't look good at all," added Eric. "As long as Rex is using that Porygon, this will be tough to win."

"Cyndaquil, hit it with your Quick Attack now!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil sped toward Porygon as a white line trailed behind it.

"Porygon, use your Psychic attack," instructed Rex.

Porygon's eyes glowed in a blue color as well as Cyndaquil's outline as it was lifted into the air.

"Now toss it," said Rex.

Cyndaquil was thrown to the ground, taking damage as a result.

"Cyndaquil, get up!" encouraged Hillary.

Cyndaquil struggled to its feet.

"We're gonna have to go for it all the way, Cyndaquil," said Hillary. "Now use Flame Wheel!"

Cyndaquil rolled into a fiery ball and rolled into Porygon, scoring a direct hit.

"Flame Wheel scores big time!" said the announcer.

However, Cyndaquil was breathing heavily.

"Cyndaquil's getting tired," said Veronica. "I don't know how much longer it can keep going."

Porygon had bruises on its virtual body thanks to Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel.

But Rex wasn't concerned. "Porygon, use Recover."

Porygon's outline glowed, as did the bruises, and as the glowing stopped, so did they.

"No way!" gasped Hillary.

"Porygon uses Recover to get back on track," said the announcer.

"Hurry, Cyndaquil, hit it with Flame Wheel at maximum power now!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil rolled into a fiery ball as it rolled straight toward the rejuvenated Porygon.

"Now I've got you just where I want you," said Rex. "Porygon, hit it with Tri Attack!"

Porygon fired an orb full of fire, ice, and electricity from its beak, and scored a direct hit on Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Hillary.

"Porygon's Tri Attack scores a direct hit, causing Cyndaquil big trouble!" said the announcer.

Cyndaquil was sent flying and landed on the battlefield with a hard thud right in front of Hillary.

"Cyndaquil, please try to stand up!" implored Hillary.

Cyndaquil slowly struggled back to its feet, but its legs were pretty wobbly from the damage it took in the battle.

Tristan and his friends watched anxiously as Cyndaquil struggled on.

But unfortunately, Cyndaquil's legs gave out, causing it to collapse back on the ground. It had been defeated.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle...Porygon is the winner...and the victory goes to Rex from Goldenrod City!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in Rex's direction.

_(Music Cue: OK! (Piano Ballad))_

The crowd roared in excitement, but Hillary was left feeling very distraught from her loss.

"Rex defeats Hillary, and will move on to the semi-finals of the Little Cup tournament," said the announcer. "As for Hillary, our youngest Trainer to ever compete in this tournament, she did impressively well making it to the final eight in her very first Pokémon tournament. Let's give both Trainers a big hand!"

The crowd gave a standing ovation to both Rex and Hillary.

Rex came to his Porygon and stroked it. "Hey, Porygon, how do you feel, buddy?"

Porygon gave a happy reply.

Hillary, listening to the admiration of the crowd, forgot all about feeling sad and remembered the fun she had battling in the Little Cup. She then walked toward Cyndaquil and gently held it in her arms. "Hey, Cyndaquil, you did great. Thanks so much."

Cyndaquil gave a weak, but happy reply.

Rex walked over to them. "You were great, too, Hillary," he said. "I had no idea that you were this good with Pokémon already. That was a fine battle."

"I should be thanking you, Rex," replied Hillary. "I'll remember this battle for a long time to come."

And both Trainers shook hands.

"It's sad that Hillary lost," said Veronica. "But she's worked so hard, and she put up a great battle."

"You're right, dear," said Eric. "And she knows that she's made wonderful achievements."

Tristan and Ritchie agreed as the crowd continued cheering on.

* * *

That evening, Hillary sat in the Pokémon Center lobby alone as she waited for any news on the health of her Pokémon. She was especially concerned about her Cyndaquil, who had taken a direct hit from Porygon's Tri Attack earlier in the day. _I really hope Cyndaquil and the others will be okay. I never meant to put them through this much trouble._

Tristan and his grandparents watched her from a distance.

"Poor Hillary," said Tristan. "She must still be feeling sad after her loss. Cyndaquil's defeat must've really taken a big toll on her."

Pikachu and Togepi felt sad for Hillary.

"All Trainers have setbacks on their journeys sometimes," said Veronica. "Even you had a pretty major setback after your loss against Blue in the Trainer House Stadium in Kanto."

"How could I forget that?" replied Tristan. He thought back to how Pikachu had suffered a crushing defeat from Blue's Jolteon.

Eric put his hand on Tristan's shoulder. "You know, the best Trainers learn a lot from their losses. I imagine Hillary's thinking of ways to get even stronger after today's battle."

"You're right, Grandpa," smiled Tristan. "And we all know that Hillary's battling spirit will be restored."

Veronica agreed.

Tristan then noticed that Ritchie had disappeared. "Hey, where'd Ritchie go?"

"I think he went outside to relax," replied Veronica.

Tristan understood. He knew that Trainers needed to rest every once in a while.

Hillary sighed as she waited. To her, it was like waiting for news of a friend in the hospital.

Just then, Nurse Joy came out of the operating room.

Hillary quickly came to her. "How are the Pokémon, Nurse Joy?" she asked.

"Your Pokémon are recovering nicely," answered Nurse Joy. "All they need is a good night's sleep, and they'll be fine tomorrow."

Hillary smiled. "Thanks so much, Nurse Joy."

"It's my pleasure," replied Nurse Joy. And she walked off.

Tristan and the others came to Hillary.

"Hey, guys," said Hillary. "What are you all doing here?"

"We just wanted to check up on you and make sure you're okay," explained Veronica.

"I'm fine, thank you," said Hillary. "Cyndaquil and the others will be good as new tomorrow."

"That's good," replied Tristan.

Presently, Rex came in. "Hi, Hillary. How are your Pokémon?"

"Oh, hi, Rex," said Hillary. "My Pokémon are doing well. After a good night's sleep, they'll feel stronger than ever."

"I'm so pleased to hear it," smiled Rex.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

"Ask away."

"How were your Pokémon able to perform different kinds of attacks? I never expected your Abra to use any Fire attacks or Electric attacks."

"I'd been wanting to learn about the many attacks Pokémon can use," explained Rex. "So I went to the Pokémon Day Care near Goldenrod City and learned from the best breeders in the business...Rachael and Stuart."

"Rachael and Stuart," repeated Hillary. "Those are my great-grandparents!"

Rex was shocked. "No way! Rachael and Stuart are your great-grandparents?! Wow! I'm even happier that I got to battle you of all people today!" He continued his story. "Anyway, I've learned that your great-grandparents had been breeding Pokémon and hatching them for many years. So I asked them to hatch some very special Pokémon that could use many different types of attacks. But to do it, they needed two compatible Pokémon that could breed together and lay eggs. So I brought them in, and soon after, they gave me an egg. And that was the very egg that my Abra came out of. It knew many of the same attacks that I used in today's battle: Psychic, Fire Punch, and Zap Cannon. I'd been wanting to participate in the Little Cup ever since I met Rachael and Stuart for the first time."

"That's a great story, Rex," said Tristan. "I imagine Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart are very happy for you." He turned to Hillary. "Hey, sis, maybe we should plan a trip to Goldenrod City and see Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart."

"That's a great idea, Tristan," replied Hillary. "I'm all for it."

Veronica agreed. "Now that your great-grandmother's out of the hospital and taking care of Pokémon again, she'd be more than happy to see you two stopping by her neck of the woods."

Tristan took out his PokéGear and looked up Goldenrod City's location. Then he saw that another town was close to Goldenrod City. "Looks like there's another place besides Goldenrod City."

"Where's that, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Azalea Town," answered Tristan. "And it has a Gym. I can plan to get my next Johto League badge right there, and then we'll make the trip to Goldenrod City. Plus, Nurse Joy in Cherrygrove City said that Kurt, the Poké Ball maker lives there, too."

"All right! I can't wait!" said Hillary excitedly.

"It sounds like you two have things all planned out," remarked Eric. "Ah, the joys of being young."

"Thanks, Grandpa," replied Hillary.

Rex was puzzled. "Grandpa? Hey, you or your grandmother wouldn't be related to Rachael and Stuart would you?"

"I am, actually," replied Veronica. "I'm Veronica, Rachael and Stuart's daughter."

"Wow!" said Rex excitedly. "It's exciting that I got to battle the great-granddaughter of Rachael and Stuart, and now I meet her grandparents, too? Plus a former champion? Wow! How exciting can this get?"

"Well, there's a news break for you," whispered Tristan to himself.

Pikachu agreed.

Presently, shouting could be heard from outside the Pokémon Center followed by screeching tires.

"Give me back my Cruise, you crooks!"

Tristan and Hillary ran to the window and looked out.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Heartbreak of Brock"))_

Sure enough, they saw a truck with a red letter "R" speeding away as they saw Ritchie trying to chase after them.

"It's Team Rocket!" gasped Tristan.

"I think they've stolen something from Ritchie, Tristan!" said Hillary. "Come on, we've gotta go help!"

"Right!" replied Tristan. And they both raced out of the Pokémon Center.

"Hey, wait for us!" called Veronica as she, Eric, and Rex followed them.

* * *

Inside the back of the speeding truck, a small, green reptilian Pokémon was trembling inside a cage.

But in the front, two people in black uniforms were gloating after their latest catch.

"Yeah, you should've seen that kid sleeping like a baby back there," one of them said. "He and that Larvitar had no idea that it'd be swiped."

"That Larvitar couldn't do nothing except cry," added another. "Plus, it'll make us big bucks, especially when we have it participate in the Little Cup!"

And they both laughed maniacally.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and his friends had caught up to Ritchie as he desperately tried to catch up to the truck.

"What's going on, Ritchie?" asked Tristan.

"It's my Cruise!" panted Ritchie. "Those jerks snuck up on us and took it away from me!"

"Well, they're not gonna have it for long," said Tristan as he took out a Poké Ball. "Charizard, I choose you!"

Charizard emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Charizard, go and help Ritchie catch up to the truck, and do what he tells you," instructed Tristan.

Charizard nodded and flew lower to the ground alongside Ritchie.

Wasting no time, Ritchie climbed on Charizard, and together, they quickly took off into the air.

Inside the truck, the unsuspecting Rocket Grunts were speeding along the streets of Violet City when suddenly, they heard a loud roar from outside.

The second one looked out. "Aah! A Charizard! And it's closing in on us!"

But before they knew what was happening, Charizard had flown over the truck, and soon passed it.

"Charizard, stop them with Flamethrower!" commanded Ritchie.

Charizard unleashed a stream of fire from its mouth right in front of the truck.

The Rocket Grunts, not wanting to be caught in the flames, braked hard and tried to swerve out of the way, but they lost control, causing the truck to fall on its side, ending the chase.

The back burst open, and a cage was seen flying out. Yes, it was the cage that the Larvitar named Cruise had been captured in.

Quickly, Tristan ran and caught the cage safely in his hands. "Gotcha!"

Charizard and Ritchie landed on the ground, allowing him to dismount.

Ritchie ran to Tristan, who handed the cage over to him. "Thanks, Tristan."

"Anytime," replied Tristan. He then noticed the Larvitar named Cruise inside. "I've never seen this Pokémon." And he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Larvitar, the Rock Skin Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Larvitar generally hatch deep within the earth, and take a long time before coming to the surface."_

In no time, Ritchie freed his Larvitar. "Are you okay, Cruise?"

Cruise gave a happy reply.

The two Rocket Grunts managed to climb out of the rubble and angrily confronted Ritchie.

"You've got some nerve ruining our good day!" burst out the first Grunt. "All we wanted to do was to use this baby for the Little Cup tournament."

"Well, this is no way to do it!" replied Tristan.

"Yeah, you can't steal Pokémon from other Trainers and you know it!" agreed Ritchie.

"Get those kids!" barked the second Grunt.

And the two Grunts charged forward.

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "Fight for the Light")))_

Cruise, however, leaped out of Ritchie's hands and executed a Headbutt attack that knocked them for a loop.

Veronica was impressed. "Wow, that's strong!"

Ritchie stepped forward. "You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Cruise wants payback for being stolen after being treated in such a way."

Cruise landed on its feet in front of Ritchie as it prepared for battle.

Tristan also stepped forward. "And Charizard and I will help."

Charizard flew and landed in front of Tristan, ready to help him and Cruise.

"Are you ready, Tristan?" asked Ritchie.

"Yeah!" replied Tristan.

"Oh yeah?" said the first Rocket Grunt. "We'll see how ready you really are." He threw his Poké Ball. "Go, Arbok!"

"You, too, Raticate, go!" shouted the second Rocket Grunt as he threw his Poké Ball.

A purple cobra-like Pokémon and a brown ratlike Pokémon emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"All right, go get them, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

"You can handle them, Cruise!" added Ritchie.

Charizard and Cruise flew into battle.

"Arbok, Bite attack!" ordered the first Rocket Grunt.

Arbok charged forward and proceeded to use its fangs to bite down on Cruise.

"Cruise, use Headbutt!" commanded Ritchie.

Cruise charged at Arbok and used its rock-hard head to score a direct hit on Arbok.

Arbok fell to the ground.

The first Rocket Grunt snarled. "Come on, you good-for-nothing cobra, get up and fight right, will ya?!"

"Go, Raticate, Hyper Fang now!" shouted the second Rocket Grunt.

Raticate's fangs glowed as it charged at Charizard.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a hot stream of fire from its mouth right at Raticate, scoring a direct hit on it.

Ritchie smiled and turned to Tristan. "You're a great Trainer, Tristan."

"Thanks, Ritchie, you're not so bad yourself," replied Tristan. Then he noticed that Arbok was headed toward Cruise. "Look out, here comes Arbok!"

"Dodge it, Cruise!" shouted Ritchie.

Cruise heard Ritchie's shout and avoided Arbok just in time.

"Go, Cruise, use Sandstorm!" commanded Ritchie.

Cruise's eyes flashed blue, then it whipped up a sandstorm from its body, buffeting Arbok, and sending it backward.

"Great job, Cruise!" commended Ritchie.

Cruise landed neatly on its feet and gave a determined reply. But suddenly, it began to glow in a white light.

Everyone was surprised, especially Ritchie.

"Whoa, check out that Larvitar!" gasped Hillary.

"It must be evolving!" added Veronica.

As Cruise evolved, it changed into the shape of a thick shell. When the light stopped, it was grayish blue, and it had two holes resembling eyebrows.

"This is awesome!" said Ritchie. "My Cruise evolved into a Pupitar!"

The two Rocket Grunts growled angrily.

"This battle isn't over yet!" said the first Grunt.

"Not by a long shot!" added the second Grunt. "They can't beat us if we attack them together!"

"Attack!"

Arbok and Raticate charged at the newly evolved Pupitar.

"Get 'em, Cruise!" commanded Ritchie.

Cruise charged at Arbok and Raticate and rammed into them hard, sending them flying into the Grunts.

"Let's finish this," said Ritchie.

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "Pikachu!"

"Sparky!" called Ritchie.

Pikachu and Sparky jumped in front of their Trainers and awaited their directions.

"Double Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan and Ritchie together.

Pikachu and Sparky shot bolts of electricity from their bodies and scored a direct hit on the Rocket Grunts and their Pokémon, causing an explosion and sending them blasting off into the sky.

_DING!_

Ritchie turned to his Pupitar. "You were amazing, Cruise."

Cruise gave a happy reply.

Tristan took out his Pokédex and scanned Cruise on it.

_"Pupitar, the Hard Shell Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"Pupitar is encased in a nearly indestructible shell and has enough power to topple a mountain."_

Hillary walked up to Tristan and Ritchie. "I feel a lot better now thanks to that battle. And now, I can't wait to get back to training."

"That's the spirit, sis!" said Tristan. "What do you say we all head on back to the Pokémon Center and rest up?

Everyone agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

The next day in the stadium, the Little Cup ended with Rex reaching the top as the crowd cheered.

Everyone else watched proudly.

"The Little Cup tournament draws to a close," said the announcer. "Trainers have battled with amazing skills using Pokémon with very little battling experience, and one Trainer had the skills to show off exemplary breeding. We now present the victor of the Little Cup, Rex from Goldenrod City!"

Everyone cheered as an official handed him a trophy. It was shaped like a golden cup with an egg inside it.

"Rex certainly deserved that trophy," said Hillary. "Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart would be very proud of him, even if I didn't win it myself."

Tristan, his grandparents, and Ritchie agreed.

* * *

Later, everyone was saying their goodbyes as they prepared to leave Violet City.

"I think I'll head to the Whirl Islands and do some research on that mysterious Pokémon," said Ritchie. "I learned so much battling with you and alongside you, Tristan."

"I am, too, Ritchie," replied Tristan. "Best of luck with your research."

"Thanks a lot," replied Ritchie. "Catch you later!" And he and Sparky waved goodbye as they left.

"Bye, Ritchie! Bye, Sparky!" called Tristan and Hillary as they waved back.

Pikachu and Togepi waved goodbye to Sparky as it and Ritchie disappeared from view.

Veronica and Eric turned to Tristan and Hillary.

"We should get back home," said Eric.

"Right," added Veronica. "I'm sure you kids have places to go, too."

"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "Next stop: Azalea Town!"

He and Hillary each gave Veronica and Eric hugs.

"Thanks a lot for coming to watch me battle in the Little Cup," said Hillary.

"You're welcome, kids," replied Veronica and Eric. "Take care."

"Bye, Grandma! Bye, Grandpa!" called Tristan and Hillary. "We love you!" And they waved as they left.

Veronica and Eric waved back until Tristan and Hillary were out of sight.

* * *

_The Pokémon Tournament Little Cup has come to a close, and Hillary battled bravely in her first official tournament. But now, the focus has turned back to their journey as Tristan and Hillary begin their trek to the next Johto League Gym in Azalea Town._

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Meanwhile, on a remote island in the Whirl Islands, night had fallen. The moon and the stars were shining brightly, and the wind and the sea were calm.

A Lugia and its two babies were sleeping close to one another on the island. Sure enough, it was the same two babies that had hatched from their eggs a few weeks before.

The first baby Lugia had grown a little bit since it hatched, but the second baby hadn't grown at all.

Both babies were warm and cozy in the parent Lugia's wing.

The smaller baby Lugia slept peacefully as it thought back to the morning when it first met Tristan and Pikachu. It stirred in its sleep as that memory entered its mind. _Tristan..._ it whispered to itself. It didn't realize that it was the one who spoke telepathically. _I wish...I could see you again._

But unbeknownst to the baby Lugia and the rest of its family, the Silver Wing that it had dropped on Ogi Isle suddenly and magically began to glow in a strange white light, as if a response to the baby's wish. And as its yearning to see Tristan again grew stronger and stronger, the Silver Wing glowed brighter and brighter. The glowing seemed to last forever.

Presently, the baby Lugia woke up to the bright glow of its Silver Wing and became much alarmed. It had never seen anything quite like that before. _Whoa! What's going on?!_ Then it suddenly realized that it said those very words all by itself. _Hey, I can speak human language!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	19. THE CHARICIFIC VALLEY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 19 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You know Liza, the caretaker in the Charicific Valley, right? Well, she and the valley make appearances in this chapter, and so does Ash's Charizard. You may recall the episode "Charizard's Burning Ambitions," where Ash's Charizard tried to defeat some of the other Charizard in the valley, but got defeated every time. So it had to stay in the water all night and reflect on how it could improve itself. And in the end, Ash had to leave his Charizard in the Charicific Valley to train and get stronger. Since then, it's become one of Ash's strongest Pokémon. But I digress. You may also recall Taz, the Pokémon hunter from Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's adventures in Kanto and the Orange Islands, don't you? Well, he and his Electabuzz make return appearances in this chapter. Please feel free to read and review this chapter at your leisure. Remember, there will be surprises coming up later in this story, so stay tuned.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary arrive in the Charicific Valley and meet Liza, the caretaker of all the wild Charizard living there. But when Taz and his Electabuzz cut the power to the entire valley and capture all the Charizard living there, it will be up to Tristan's Charizard to save the day!**

**Chapter 19. THE CHARICIFIC VALLEY**

_(Music Cue: Very Bad)_

_With the Little Cup and Tristan's first Johto League Gym match now behind them, our heroes have decided to make their way to their next destination: Azalea Town. It's there that Tristan hopes to earn his second badge. But as we join them today, we find that travelling on the road has taken its toll on them both._

It was the middle of the day, and Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were showing signs of fatigue as they walked on an open road. They had been walking all day, and were feeling very exhausted.

"I'm tired, Tristan," complained Hillary. "Can't we stop and take a rest?"

"No, not yet," replied Tristan, although he was just as tired as Hillary was. "We have to keep going. I'm sure Azalea Town is just up ahead." But then he sat down on the ground from being so tired. "I can't take another step."

"Hmph! Serves you right!" grumbled Hillary. "I told you we needed to take a break. We left Violet City, went through a mountain, and traveled on some harsh terrain without resting, but no, you said we had to go straight to Azalea Town without stopping. I hope you're happy."

"Well, I guess I messed up," laughed Tristan nervously. Then he groaned. "I'm so very sore."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed. They were just as tired as their Trainers were.

"Now what do we do?" said Hillary. "We're miles away from the next town and we don't have any food. Things can't be any worse."

"Hillary, please don't say 'things can't get any worse,'" moaned Tristan. "Things'll always find a way."

Just then, Tristan and Hillary's stomach's grumbled.

"Oh, now I'm hungry, too," complained Hillary.

"Told you so," replied Tristan.

"But I want something to eat!" moaned Hillary.

Just then, they heard a friendly high-pitched roar from high up in the sky.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu looked up and saw a shadow of a Pokémon carrying a balloon flying in the air above them. Then they noticed someone flying with it.

"It looks like somebody's riding that Pokémon," remarked Hillary. "Whoever it is must've trained it well."

"Well, wherever that person's going, I'm sure there's food!" replied Tristan.

"But we can't catch up with that Pokémon on the ground," said Hillary. "How will we get there?"

"Charizard can take us," replied Tristan as he took out his Poké Ball.

He then put element stickers on them, one for each of his Pokémon; he put two on Venusaur and Charizard's Poké Balls.

"Why are you putting stickers on your Poké Balls, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I wanted to make sure that I have an easy time finding my Poké Balls in case I lose them," answered Tristan. "Ritchie first taught me that."

"That's a very good plan."

"Now that that's done, we can follow that Pokémon. Go!" Tristan then threw Charizard's Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: 38)_

Charizard emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Oh, yeah!" said Hillary. "Now we can follow that Pokémon in the air wherever it's going!"

"Well, let's climb on," replied Tristan as he and Pikachu climbed on Charizard.

Hillary put Togepi safely in her backpack as she got on and sat in front of Tristan.

"Okay, Charizard, let's go!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard roared in affirmation, and together, they all took off into the air.

Meanwhile, the person that Tristan and Hillary saw sniffed the air. It was a young woman, who had green hair, and she was riding a Charizard, which had a pink bow on its head. "Hmm. I think I smell another Charizard and its Trainer, Charla. And they're coming this way."

The Charizard named Charla seemed to agree with her as Tristan's Charizard approached.

"Hi, there!" called Tristan. "We couldn't help but notice you from the ground, so we decided to follow. May we?"

"Sure, it's okay with me!" smiled the woman.

Hillary turned to see Charla as she and Tristan riding Charizard flew alongside. "Wow, a Charizard! I see it's been raised well."

The woman chuckled. "This is my good friend, Charla. I've trained it myself ever since it was a little Charmander."

Charla nodded in agreement.

"My name's Liza," said the woman. "I train Charizard in a place called the Charicific Valley."

"The Charicific Valley?" repeated Tristan.

"It's a place where Charizard have lived in peace for thousands of years, and it's where the best Charizard in Pokémon history train to be the best they can be," explained Liza. "The Charizard there are all wild Charizard, and they're naturally trained."

"That's interesting," said Hillary. "Hey, Tristan, maybe we should check it out."

Tristan agreed. "Hey, Liza, would it be okay if we went to the Charicific Valley with you?"

"Of course," smiled Liza. "I thought that since you had a well-trained Charizard with you and you care for it so much, I was going to invite you to come to the Charicific Valley with me anyway."

Tristan was confused. "How did you know that I had a Charizard?"

"I could tell because of the lingering smell."

"There's a news flash," whispered Hillary to herself. "She can tell by smell."

"Okay, follow me!" said Liza. And she and Charla picked up speed as they flew on to the Charicific Valley.

Tristan and Hillary, still flying on Charizard, picked up speed as well.

But unbeknownst to them, a familiar figure was following them, and he had a beard.

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

It was Taz, the Pokémon hunter Tristan and Hillary saw back in Kanto and the Orange Islands. "Ah, the Charicific Valley, eh? This should be fun. I may have been robbed of the Butterfree in Kanto and the grapefruit in the Orange Islands, but catching Charizard seems like a hot idea." And he snickered evilly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Liza and Charla led everyone to a distinguishable rocky mountain formation. It was shaped like a Charizard.

"Is that it?" asked Hillary. "The Charicific Valley?"

"Yes, it is," answered Liza.

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

Tristan and Hillary were awestruck.

"This is such a wonderful place," remarked Tristan.

They flew over a large lake. And as they got closer, they climbed higher and higher over some steps. At last, they reached the entrance to the valley.

Charla landed first, and Charizard landed right beside it.

Liza got off of Charla and gently stroked it. "Thanks for the nice ride, Charla," she said.

Charla nodded.

Tristan and Hillary got off of Chrizard as Liza dug something out of the balloon behind Charla.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"This is special edible Charcoal," answered Liza. "It's a treat that Fire Pokémon love to eat. Not only that, it increases the power of their Fire attacks. I always give some to Charla after it gives me a nice ride." She then handed some of the Charcoal to Charla, who quickly devoured it.

Charla was so happy by the taste that it felt stronger than it did before.

"Why don't you try giving some of it to your Charizard, Tristan?" suggested Liza. "After all, it did give you and Hillary a pleasant ride, didn't it?"

"It sure did," replied Tristan as Liza handed the Charcoal to him. He turned to his Charizard. "Hillary and I had a very nice ride. We enjoyed it. Try this. I think you'll like it." And he handed Charizard the Charcoal.

Charizard was a little puzzled, and wondered if it was edible. But after a few seconds, it chewed on it. It enjoyed the taste that it made quick work of the rest of it and felt much stronger than it did before.

"Charizard seems to like it, Liza," smiled Tristan.

"I'm very happy to hear that," replied Liza. "Say, do you two think you can help me carry my groceries to the house?"

"We can help with that," smiled Hillary.

"And after that, we can have some dinner," added Liza. "You both must be starving after traveling on the road all day."

"That'd be great, Liza," replied Tristan. "All right, let's help!"

"Right!" said Hillary as she and Tristan helped carry some of the sacks.

Liza detached the balloon from Charla so it could help her carry her groceries.

Charizard also pitched in to help and helped them carry the rest to her home.

When they got there, Tristan and Hillary saw a waterfall next to her house, and next to it, another Charizard.

"Wow, another Charizard!" said Tristan.

Liza nodded. "This is a Charizard that Ash left here so it could train. Ash's Charizard was much smaller than the average Charizard. It lost to the other Charizard so easily, even though it wanted to continue battling. So Charla and I had them reflect on how they can get stronger. I've been training with it for a while now, and it seems to have gained a lot of power already."

"It must've taken a lot of effort to train it, Liza," remarked Hillary.

"It's all part of my job," replied Liza. "My job, and Charla's, too, is to help protect this valley from any poachers who come here as they train to get stronger."

Charla then flew over to Ash's Charizard and embraced it.

Ash's Charizard showed its own affection for it as it stood proudly.

"It looks like those two Charizard really like each other," said Tristan.

"Charizard seems to have unofficially taken the role of Charla's bodyguard," replied Liza.

"Those two lovebirds really seemed to have hit it off right," remarked Hillary.

"Well, how about we eat something ourselves?" suggested Liza.

Tristan and Hillary agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver (as heard in "The Little Big Horn"))_

Inside Liza's home, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all enjoyed two helpings of Liza's fresh hot pizza.

"This is great, Liza, thank you!" smiled Tristan.

"Yeah, thanks so much," added Hillary.

"You're welcome," replied Liza. "Charla acts as my personal oven. It helps me do everything in the kitchen from cooking food on the stove, baking it in the oven, and it even gently helps me flame-dry the dishes. Plus, it helps dry the laundry when I need it."

"That may explain all the low energy bills," remarked Hillary.

"I still need electricity to do some of the necessary things like watch the news on TV," added Liza.

"Hey, Liza, after dinner, do you think we can see the Charizard living in the valley train?" asked Tristan.

"I don't see why not," answered Liza.

* * *

After dinner, Liza led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu to some steel doors at the entrance to the valley.

Tristan's Charizard followed them.

"Well, are you ready?" asked Liza. "I should warn you that most of the Charizard here are pretty strong."

Tristan and Hillary nodded.

_(Music Cue: Victory Road (Kanto))_

Liza pushed a button on her remote control, causing the steel doors to slowly open wide.

The interior of the valley was full of wild Charizard, all of which were big and strong.

There were some that flew in the air while some were resting comfortably on the ground. Several more partnered up with another to test each other's strength while others ate berries off some trees. There were big ones, small ones, gentle ones, and nasty ones.

There were Charizard everywhere in the valley as far as the eye could see.

"Wow, I've never seen so many Charizard at one time!" gasped Hillary.

Tristan, Pikachu, and his Charizard agreed.

"As you can see, these Charizard don't depend on human Trainers to help them get stronger," explained Liza. "They depend on each other to learn and grow. They never carry humans or see them very often, either...except for me."

"Has Ash's Charizard trained with any of these Charizard here in the Charicific Valley?" asked Tristan.

Liza nodded. "Charizard spends most of its days here training with all the other Charizard. Part of my job as a Charizard trainer is to ensure that they all push each other to their very best, especially the Charizard that the Trainers leave with me. There are good days and there are tough days, but in the end, all the Charizard, wild or trained, end up being as strong as they can be."

"That sounds pretty intense," remarked Tristan.

"But it makes sense, Tristan," replied Hillary. "As a Trainer, if you want your Pokémon to get stronger, you have to test their limits to see what they can and can't do, right?"

"That's right," nodded Liza. "It's certainly worked for the Charizard that live here."

Tristan thought long and hard about what Hillary just said. Then he turned to his Charizard. "Well, Charizard, if those Charizard can train to be as strong as they can be, we can, too, right?"

His Charizard agreed. It thought about how much stronger it could get if it stayed and trained with the other strong Charizard in the Charicific Valley.

* * *

That night, as Tristan and his friends slept peacefully in Liza's home, Taz had made it to the Charicific Valley.

He noticed the steel doors blocking the entrance. "Seizing those Charizard might be more interesting than I thought," he said. "But how do I get in? He then noticed a substation just outside the valley. "Hmmm, quite the distance, but it'll be worth it." He snuck out of the valley towards the substation. When he got there, he saw a warning sign. It read:

**DO NOT USE EXCESS ELECTRICITY AT ANY TIME! DOING SO WILL CUT THE POWER TO THE ENTIRE VALLEY!**

"So, excess electricity, huh?" smiled Taz. He took out a Poké Ball and threw it.

His Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Okay, Electabuzz, give it a Thunderbolt...shut it down!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz charged up the electricity in its body, then it unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at the substation, causing the transformer to be electrified with too much electricity.

Seconds later, there were several sparks, and soon after...

_BOOM!_

...the transformer exploded, causing the electrical substation to fail.

At the Charicific Valley, the power went out, and the steel doors slowly opened wide.

All the Charizard in the valley were fast asleep.

Inside Liza's house, she and Charla woke up to the sound of the electrical explosion. But they weren't the only ones, for Pikachu also woke up and awakened Tristan and Hillary at once.

"Something the matter, Pikachu?" yawned Tristan.

"I'm tired," moaned Hillary.

"Sorry, sis, but something's going on."

Pikachu ran to the window and pointed out.

As Tristan and Hillary watched, they gasped in shock at what they saw.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "Enlighten Up"))_

A powerful bolt of electricity could be seen followed by the sounds of painful roars coming from inside the valley.

"The Charizard!" cried Tristan and Hillary together.

Just then, Liza came into the room. "What's going on?"

"Liza, somebody's broken into the Charicific Valley!" exclaimed Hillary.

"You mean we might have poachers?" gasped Liza.

"It's sure possible," replied Tristan. "Come on, we've gotta get to the valley!" And he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Liza got out of the house and ran to the Charicific Valley entrance as fast as they could followed by Charla, Tristan's Charizard, and Ash's Charizard.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the valley, Taz's Electabuzz had used Thunderbolt repeatedly to weaken all the Charizard living there.

Taz then fired an electrified net at the weakened Charizard, electrifying them even more.

Then to make things even worse, the captured Charizard were deposited inside a cage inside a waiting platform.

Taz snickered evilly. "With all these Charizard, I'll be on fire!"

Presently, Tristan's Charizard flew into view and rammed into Electabuzz, sending it flying backward and onto the ground.

"Electabuzz, no!" exclaimed Taz.

Tristan and his friends then came into view.

Liza was very angry. "Who do you think you are?!" she demanded. "You have no right to be here!"

"Tristan, look!" gasped Hillary.

Tristan saw the Charizard trapped in the giant cage on the platform. "All those Charizard must've gotten hurt!"

"And there's they guy who captured them!" added Hillary as she pointed to the bearded man.

"It's Taz!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Oh, great," grumbled Taz. "Not youse two again!"

Liza was surprised. "You two know him?"

"Yeah, he's the one who tried to capture all the Butterfree when we first met him in the Kanto region, including mine!" explained Tristan.

"And when we saw him on the Orange Islands, he tried to steal the grapefruit off the Seven Grapefruit Islands!" added Hillary.

"Yeah, well, tonight, I'm after a much bigger prize," replied Taz. "It's time to bid adieu." And he helped his Electabuzz get on the platform and pressed a button on his remote, causing helicopter blades to appear and spread out from the top.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 2 (as heard in "As Clear as Crystal")))_

The blades spun faster and faster, and soon, the platform was airborne.

"Oh, no!" cried Hillary. "He's gonna get away!"

But as the platform rose higher and faster, Tristan's Charizard had already taken off into the air, going after Taz and Electabuzz as it went.

"Looks like Charizard wants to help," said Tristan. "Maybe I can help, too."

"Hold on a second," advised Liza. "I think your Charizard wants to rescue the other Charizard on its own."

"How come?" wondered Tristan.

"Because Charizard has something to prove by itself for itself," explained Liza. "It knows that you're its Trainer, but sometimes, it has to make its own decisions, and it has decided that those Charizard are its friends, too."

Liza was right, for just as Tristan's Charizard would do anything to help him in times of need, it felt that in its heart that those Charizard needed its help at that very moment. So it flew on and on until it finally reached the flying platform.

Taz noticed Tristan's Charizard hot on the platform's heels. "That lousy thing. Maybe I should capture it, too. Go, Electabuzz, give it a Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz shot a powerful bolt of electricity at Charizard, who easily dodged the attack.

"I think that Charizard is asking us to capture it," smiled Taz. "Okay, Electabuzz, shoot it down!"

Electabuzz shot more and more Thunderbolts at Charizard, who zigzagged in the air to dodge them.

Taz became very annoyed. "That Charizard just won't quit!"

Eventually, Charizard caught up to the platform to free the other captured Charizard, but as it touched the cage to free them, the cage gave it a good zap.

Taz snickered. "Ha! Charizard, you're zapped!"

"Oh, no!" cried Hillary. "Charizard's in big trouble!"

"You can do it! Don't give up, Charizard!" shouted Tristan.

Thanks to Tristan's encouraging words, Charizard toughed it out as it repeatedly attacked the cage with its Slash attacks. Then with one final powerful Slash, it managed to free all the other Charizard, much to Taz's shock.

All the Charizard flew off the platform and into the air right next to Tristan's Charizard.

"You did it, Charizard!" said Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu cheered happily for its teammate.

Taz became very angry. "All right, that's it! I'll crush and capture every one of youse guys! Electabuzz, let's get 'em!"

_(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

But Charizard, the wild Charizard, and Charla never gave him or his Electabuzz a chance, for they all shot Flamethrower attacks directly in Taz's face, causing the blades on the platform to fail, thus causing the platform to crash onto the ground.

Presently, Tristan and his friends arrived on the scene.

"Now you're the one who's about to be zapped, Taz," said Tristan. "Pikachu, Thunder attack!"

Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity to combine with Charizard's Flamethrower.

The combined attacks left Taz and Electabuzz scorched for a job so well done that they both scurried away as if they were on fire.

"Serves you right!" shouted Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit (as heard in "Pallet Party Panic"))_

Tristan stood proudly as he watched his Charizard roar triumphantly followed by Charla and the other Charizard high up in the sky.

Liza was very impressed. She walked over and put her hand on Tristan's shoulder. "You are one great Trainer, Tristan. That Charizard of yours has been trained exceptionally well."

"Thank you, Liza," replied Tristan. "That means a lot. But I think Charizard deserves most of the credit. It was the one who saved all the other Charizard."

"Yeah, Tristan's right," agreed Hillary. "It did it all by itself."

"Now, I just have to call the electric company to get our power restored," said Liza. "I'll be back in a few minutes." And she darted off back to the house and made the call.

Tristan couldn't help but notice his Charizard having a good time in the Charicific Valley and stood proudly for it.

* * *

An hour later, as the sun came up, power was fully restored to the Charicific Valley, much to everyone's delight.

Then, everyone enjoyed a good breakfast of homemade pancakes courtesy of Liza and Charla's expert cooking.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Soon, it was time for Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu to leave the Charicific Valley.

"Thanks a lot for letting us see the Charicific Valley, Liza," said Tristan.

"Things would've turned out much more differently if you and your Charizard hadn't come along," replied Liza. "You know, I think your Charizard might benefit with a little extra training here in the Charicific Valley for a while. It might help all the Charizard here get stronger, plus your Charizard might gain experience learning from them. What do you think?"

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were a little surprised, but Tristan's Charizard roared excitedly.

Tristan walked over to his Charizard. "Do you want to stay here and train for a while, Charizard?"

Charizard gave the question a lot of thought. Then at last, it nodded.

Tristan felt sad, but happily understood Charizard's feelings. It had been one of his best Pokémon ever since he caught it at the Cerulean Cape in Kanto, but he knew it would be beneficial for it and the other Charizard living in the valley, including Ash's Charizard. "I'll miss you, but I know you'll have fun and be stronger than ever." He shared one last hug with Charizard, then he walked over to Liza and said, "It's a deal." He took out Charizard's Poké Ball and handed it to her. "Please take care of Charizard for me."

"You bet," replied Liza.

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi waved goodbye to Charizard, Liza, Charla, and the other Charizard living in the Charicific Valley.

"So long, everyone!" called Liza. "And thank you for everything!"

"Bye, Liza! Bye, Charizard!" called Tristan and Hillary together. "Take care!"

Pikachu waved goodbye to its longtime teammate.

Tristan's Charizard roared its goodbyes as it saw him and Hillary disappear into the distance.

* * *

_Tristan and Charizard may be parting for now, but both know they will reunite again someday soon. But for now, it's on to Azalea Town and the next Johto League Gym._

* * *

Meanwhile on the Whirl Islands, the sun was just coming up over the horizon, and the smaller baby Lugia was full of energy as it told its mother and sibling the news telepathically. _Mother! Mother! __Guess what? I can talk! I can eat well, and can swim and dive well, too, but really, really fast! Isn't this exciting?_

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 1999 (Japanese version title of "Revelation Lugia"))_

The parent Lugia, who was just rousing from a good night's sleep, gasped in complete shock after hearing its baby speak telepathically for the first time and burst wide awake at once. Never had it seen a baby develop that much intelligence in such a short time.

The baby became nervous. _What's wrong, Mother? Was it something I said?_

The parent, understandably, became very worried, for it felt that the baby's speaking could put it and the entire family in danger. _This is bad, _it thought. _I have to do something._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	20. ALONE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 20 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I had originally wrote this chapter several months ago, but have made several edits before now. Now before we proceed into this chapter, I want to explain a few things to you. First of all, Ash and Misty make cameo appearances in this chapter as they battle each other in the Whirl Cup on TV, based on the _Pokémon: Master Quest _episode "The Perfect Match." Second, the small baby Lugia sort of reminds me of a Trumpeter Swan named Louis from E.B. White's **_**Trumpet of the Swan **_**because this Lugia seems to have a bit of a problem. In the book, you may recall that Louis doesn't have a voice so he must use a trumpet to overcome that difficulty. But in this story, Lugia hasn't grown an inch since it first hatched. But there will be a happy ending sometime in the very near future. Second of all, you may recall Oliver from the three part Lugia saga also on _Pokémon: Master Quest. _Let's imagine that this is the time that Oliver befriends one of the baby Lugia, whom he calls Silver. We didn't see what happened after the parent Lugia emerged from the water and scared him, but what happens if the smaller baby Lugia proves his innocence? Lastly, I was inspired to make the Silver Wing enchanted like the enchanted dragon scale from the children's television series _Dragon Tales,_ whose production companies include Sony Pictures Television and the Sesame Workshop. The Silver Wing will have magical abilities, but you'll have to wait to see what they are. I DO NOT own any of these franchises including Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known character names are trademarks of Nintendo. Please feel free to read and review.**

**TEASER: While Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu receive a message from Mewtwo and Mew, telling him that a legendary Pokémon will be meeting them, the parent Lugia is trying to pull out all the stops in order to get its small baby to grow. Will it succeed? And when the small baby proves how intelligent it is and proves a boy's innocence, it must make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of its entire family.**

**Chapter 20: ALONE**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_Today, Tristan and his friends are continuing their journey to Azalea Town. But for now, they're inside the Pokémon Center, and after getting a good night's rest, they're getting ready for another big day on the road._

Tristan and Pikachu were eagerly watching a battle broadcasting live on the Whirl Islands on TV the next morning. He saw a Trainer wearing a Pokémon League Expo hat battle another Trainer with orange hair tied into a side ponytail. "Yeah, go, Ash!" he said excitedly.

"What are you watching, Tristan?" asked Hillary as she and Togepi came into the lobby.

"I'm watching this great battle between Ash and Misty," answered Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))_

Hillary took a real close look at Misty. "Oooh, I like her. I think she's gonna win this one."

"Dream on, Hillary, 'cause Ash is the one who's gonna win. Besides, that Kingler's Crabhammer attack will probably cut Misty's next Pokémon down to size."

"I'll tell you what," said Hillary. "Let's make a little wager. If Ash wins, I'll give you an extra chocolate shake. But if Misty wins, you have to give me an extra chocolate shake."

"You're on!" said Tristan. He could feel the excitement of having two chocolate shakes in one day.

"Ash and Misty are tied at one Pokémon apiece," said the commentator on the TV screen. "The next battle will decide the match."

Misty got into position to send out her second Pokémon, but to her surprise, a white light shot out from her bag, and it revealed a Psyduck, who promptly jumped in the pool, and flailed about, struggling in vain to swim.

"Misty will be using her Psyduck," said the commentator. "But it's drowning. Probably not a good move on Misty's part."

"No, no, no!" gritted Hillary as she clenched her fists in frustration.

"Ha!" laughed Tristan. "Say goodbye to your chocolate shake."

Psyduck managed to get on one of the floating platforms, showing a victory pose.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

But just then, the battle resumed as Kingler struck out into the water straight toward a defenseless Psyduck, using its claws as the driving force.

"Kingler is moving through the water with amazing speed," said the commentator. "Unable to swim, Psyduck has nowhere to run."

Then Kingler grabbed on to Psyduck's head using those claws.

"There's no escaping Kingler's ViceGrip," said the commentator.

Psyduck struggled in vain to break free as Kingler's grip grew tighter and tighter.

"Yeah, that's it, Kingler!" said Tristan excitedly.

Hillary just stood with her arms crossed tightly as she continued to watch the battle. She couldn't stand the thought of losing her chocolate shake.

"Kingler has a tight grip on Psyduck with its claw and won't let go," said the commentator.

But just then, Psyduck glowed in a blue aura as the pressure on its head mounted to a fever pitch.

Tristan and Hillary couldn't believe their eyes as Psyduck's telekinetic power grew stronger and stronger.

Then Psyduck opened its eyes as widely as it could, and they glowed in the same way as it did.

"That's a Confusion attack!" gasped Hillary.

Sure enough, Psyduck's Confusion sent Kingler flying with amazing velocity.

"Wow! Psyduck used Confusion to blast Kingler away in one shot!" said the commentator.

Thanks to Psyduck's Confusion attack, Kingler was sent flying into Ash, with both of them knocking each other out.

"Ha! In your face, Ash!" said Hillary.

"Kingler is unable to battle...Psyduck wins and the match goes to Misty!" declared the referee.

Tristan was shocked. He couldn't believe that a powerful Kingler could lose to a Psyduck that couldn't swim, let alone battle.

"Now who gets the chocolate shake?" smirked Hillary.

Tristan groaned.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Pokémon: The First Movie"))_

A little while later, Tristan and Hillary were on the road as they walked on the open path.

Tristan was still in a very grumpy mood. He was still sore about losing his chocolate shake for the day.

"Aw, don't feel bad, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Hmph!" grumbled Tristan. He didn't want to be reminded of the loss of his shake.

Presently, they came to an open field where several Pokémon were relaxing nearby.

"Look at all the Grass Pokémon, Tristan!" said Hillary excitedly. "That might cheer you up."

"You're right!" added Tristan as he took out his binoculars. "There are Gloom and Vileplume. They sure look like they're having fun sunbathing."

Pikachu and Togepi seemed to agree.

"And look!" said Hillary. "I see some round pink Pokémon flying through the air!"

"Where?" asked Tristan. He tried to find them in his binoculars, but didn't see them at first, but soon, he found them. They were pink and round, but they had long, green leaves spinning as they flew through the air on the wind's soft breeze. "I wonder what they are." He put down his binoculars, took out his Pokédex named Dexter, and scanned the pink Pokémon.

_"Hoppip, the Cottonweed Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"This hopping Pokémon is light as a feather, and can be lifted in the air with the gentlest breeze."_

"Hey, the Pokédex is right!" said Hillary. "They really are flying, and the wind isn't even that strong!"

Tristan took a deep breath and took in some fresh air. _I sure wish I could fly like those Hoppip, _he thought.

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Suddenly, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi saw two Pokémon appearing in the sky above them like magic. They were both purple and pink bipedal feline Pokémon; the purple one was bigger.

Hillary yelled out in surprise. "Aah! Those two Pokémon just appeared out of nowhere!"

"They sure know how to sneak up on people!" added Tristan.

_Sorry about that,_ said the purple Pokémon as it and the other Pokémon landed next to them. _I asked Mew to teleport us to your location._

Tristan smiled. He knew who they were. "It's Mewtwo and Mew! How have you been?"

_We really don't mean to drop in like this, but I just got word that a new legendary Pokémon will be coming your way very soon, _explained Mewtwo. _And it's an extremely powerful Pokémon that normally sleeps at the bottom of the sea._

"The bottom of the sea?" repeated Tristan.

"But wait a second," said Hillary. "If we discovered all the Pokémon in Kanto, doesn't that mean that there are legendary Pokémon in Johto that we need to befriend as well?"

_That's exactly why Mew and I came to you,_ answered Mewtwo. _There are several legendary Pokémon in this region that you need to befriend. And this one will be one of them. You must do what you can to be this Pokémon's friend...and don't forget about the task of finding that item I told you about. I'm counting on you. I know you won't let us down. _And with that, Mewtwo and Mew, using their Psychic powers, took off into the air and flew away.

Tristan and Hillary were left confused.

Pikachu and Togepi were just as confused as their Trainers were.

"That was pretty weird," said Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "I wonder what legendary Pokémon in the Johto region we're going to meet first?"

And they pondered that question for what seemed like hours.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Arriving at Pokémon Park (from the beginning of the Japanese version of "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" (as heard in the beginning of "Hour of the Houndour")))_

Meanwhile, in a remote area of the Whirl Islands, the parent Lugia watched its two babies proudly as they played together. They dove underwater, had swimming contests, and even splashed one another.

But something seemed to make it very concerned. the parent noticed that something was different about one of its babies. It was eating well and swimming well, even better than its other baby had, and its flight feathers were growing rapidly: much faster than expected. Plus, it was able to speak telepathically, giving it a lot of intelligence at an early age. However, it didn't see any difference in its physical growth. As a matter of fact, it didn't even grow half an inch since it first hatched. So it took the smaller baby aside so they could talk in private.

Normally, almost no Pokémon could speak telepathically unless they were a Legendary Pokémon or a Pokémon that's special, but the smaller Lugia seemed to have the intelligence to do it with anyone in the few short days since it hatched. It never spoke on the morning when it first met Tristan and his Pikachu because it was a newborn.

Ever since it first saw the boy, it seemed to want to be with him so they could play together, yet it also wanted to see the world for itself. It hadn't seen him or Pikachu since that morning, which made it very sad. It wanted to see him again, but wasn't sure where he was or what he was doing.

When no humans are around, the parent Lugia could speak telepathically in human language like its baby could.

The parent spoke first. _My little boy,_ it said, _it has become my opinion that you haven't gotten any bigger._

_What do you mean, Mother?_ asked the baby.

_Well, I haven't seen you grow any taller or longer_, answered the parent. _Your wingspan hasn't grown at all, either. Your sibling, however, has grown by about three feet. You should be as tall as your sibling by now. So, starting today, we're going to do some extra hard workouts so you can grow as big as I am. That means you won't play with your sibling for a while._

_But mother..._ the baby began.

_We are going to do it_, insisted the parent. _No exceptions. Being small and unable to fly can put you in real danger. And besides, your being able to talk may have exposed all three of us to the outside world, putting us all at great risk. So get to the other island, and let's get ready to race across. I'll be with you in just a moment after I get your sibling to a safe location and out of sight._

_Yes, Mother,_ sighed the baby sadly.

* * *

In a few moments, the parent Lugia and the baby got to the small island and got ready to start the race.

_All right, _said the parent. _We'll race to the other side of the water by going across the water at high speed._

_How?_ asked the baby.

_What we'll do is use our wings like paddles to run on top of the water and propel us to that island over there, _explained the parent. _There will be plenty of obstacles that we will have to watch out for._

_When do we start the race, Mother?_

_We'll go __as soon as the sun comes out from behind that cloud._

There were several clouds in the sky, and the sun disappeared behind one of them.

For a while, it looked as if the sun would stay behind that cloud forever. But suddenly, the sun came out.

_GO!_

_(Music Cue: Get Pokémon!)_

The race was on!

Both the parent and the baby Lugia splashed into the water and struck out, racing toward the other side as they went. Their wings were beating the air and they were kicking hard. Their legs and feet allowed them to scoot across the water at high speed like swans.

The baby Lugia seemed to beat its wings faster and harder than the parent was, and it was running super-fast as it went.

Presently, a ferry was seen coming from across their racing route with the baby Lugia directly in the ferry's path.

_My baby, look out!_ cried the parent Lugia.

But the baby Lugia saw the ferry and zigzagged right in front of it to dodge it and continue the race.

However, the parent Lugia was seen up close by the passengers, scaring them as it tried to go by.

"Look out! It's a giant sea monster!" cried one.

"Hit the deck!" yelled another.

Just as the parent Lugia and the ferry were about to crash into one another, the parent dove into the water with a tremendous splash to avoid it and waited for it to pass.

As for the passengers on the ferry, they were all dripping wet as it sailed on.

When the ferry passed, the parent Lugia came back up to the surface and continued where it left off. It ran as fast as it could, beating its wings as it went.

However, the baby Lugia proved to be too fast.

Presently, a small island was seen in the distance. As the baby reached it, it hopped out of the water, flapped its wings, and landed neatly on the ground on the sandy beach. _Yes! I won! _it cried.

The parent Lugia made it to the island a few seconds after the baby did. _Well, you beat me, _it said.

_This is so much fun, Mother! _said the baby Lugia excitedly. _Can we do it again?_

The parent nodded. _Yes, we must do it again. We have to get you to start growing as big and powerful as I am so you can protect yourself._

And so they did.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu & Raichu Racing (from the Japanese version of "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" (as heard in "Don't Touch That 'Dile")))_

The parent Lugia and the baby raced from the first island to the second island and then back again.

But no matter how much the parent Lugia tried to catch up, the baby was just too fast.

Every time, the baby won every race in quick succession. As the other baby Lugia peeked over the surface and watched, the smaller baby went faster and faster and grew stronger and stronger with each race. But as fast and strong as it got, it still didn't get any bigger.

Eventually, the parent Lugia grew too tired to race anymore.

_Are you okay, Mother?_ asked the baby Lugia.

The parent Lugia panted wearily. _Don't worry about me. I'm fine. _It then took a moment to finally catch its breath. _Your swimming and your speed are excellent. But you still haven't grown an inch. Perhaps you're not trying._

_But I _am _trying, mother,_" insisted the baby. _Honest!_

* * *

After the workouts were over, the parent Lugia said to the smaller baby Lugia, _Could you please watch your sibling while I get more food for you underwater?_

_Okay, I guess,_ replied the baby nervously.

With that, the parent dove into the water.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered (as heard in "Grin to Win"))_

As the smaller baby watched its sibling, it thought to itself, _I wonder what would happen if I can jump and flap my wings. If I can beat my wings fast and swim fast, maybe I can use these wings to do something else useful! _It then started flapping its wings, and suddenly, with hardly any effort, it found itself airborne. "_Hey, I'm flying! I'm really flying!_ it said joyously. It called to its sibling. _Sibling! Sibling! Look at me! I'm really flying!_

But the other baby Lugia was looking the other way, so it didn't notice.

_I did it all by myself! Look at me! Look at me!_

But still, the other baby Lugia looked the other way, completely oblivious to what was going on.

_Well, I'll just have to prove how well I can fly,_ the smaller baby Lugia said. And it flew higher into the air to prove how well it could fly. First it did aerial somersaults. Then it followed up by zigzagging from place to place in the sky. Next, it spun into a dizzying dive and made a tremendous splash in the water. But just as it went below the surface, it emerged again and climbed higher and higher into the air at remarkable speed. Finally, it flew in circles as it increased its flying speed. After it circled fast one final time, it decided to look for a place to land. So it landed on the island where the larger baby Lugia was and landed next to it. _Look, sibling! I did it! I really did it! I flew high into the sky on my very first try!_

The larger baby Lugia seemed to be excited for its sibling, and it cooed happily, but it didn't seem interested in the fact that it could fly.

_You know, it's too bad Tristan isn't here with me to see me fly, _the smaller baby Lugia thought to itself. _He'd be able to see all the tricks I've done on my very first flight! I may not be able to grow large, but at least I can fly. Flying makes me so happy that I'm gonna do it some more!_ And it flapped its wings and took off into the sky again, doing all the tricks it did on its last flight in the same order. It then flew even further to test out its stamina. It was having so much fun flying in the sky that it had forgotten all about watching its sibling as its parent had asked it to.

Meanwhile, a nasty storm came up all of a sudden. In the distance, a boy in green swimming trunks was happily playing and riding on a Lanturn's back.

The bigger baby Lugia sensed the powerful storm and swam off to try and warn the boy.

Meanwhile, the wind picked up and it started to rain, causing the waves to grow bigger and bigger.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of Revelation Lugia))_

It was very hard for Lanturn to navigate through the waves, even with the boy sitting on its back.

Just then, a big wave threw the boy and his Lanturn into the depths of the sea, causing them to spin out of control.

The larger baby Lugia noticed the commotion and quickly dove down to save the boy from drowning.

Lanturn was dizzy from the spin, but soon regained its senses. However, the boy had passed out.

* * *

The larger baby Lugia managed to get the boy on dry land a short time later. It curiously looked at him.

Presently, the boy regained consciousness and slowly opened his eyes. He saw the larger baby Lugia, who was very friendly to him. "Who are you? Did you save me?" he asked.

The larger baby Lugia cooed and nodded happily.

Then, the boy saw Lanturn in the water close to shore. "There you are, Lanturn," he said. "It looks like you're okay, too." Then he turned to the Lugia. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Oliver. Do you have a name?"

The baby just cooed curiously. It didn't know what names were.

"That's all right," said Oliver. "I think I'll call you Silver. Because you're silver in color, and you're very cute."

The larger baby Lugia seemed to like the name, so it cooed happily.

Just then, the ground seemed to shake. Seconds later, there was a tremendous splash of water.

_(Music Cue: Thunder/Zapdos Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Suddenly, a big shadow emerged from the sea and hovered over the boy, who gasped in fear as a mysterious call was emitted.

It was the parent Lugia, and it didn't look happy. It apparently didn't like seeing its young around strangers.

* * *

Elsewhere, the smaller baby Lugia was having the time of its life. It was spinning and doing somersaults in the sky. Then it heard the parent's mysterious call and suddenly remembered. _Oh, no__!_ it gasped. _My sibling!_ _It may be in trouble!_ And it flew off toward the source of that sound as fast as its wings would carry it.

* * *

Meanwhile, Oliver was trying to explain what happened to the parent Lugia. "Please believe me, Lugia!" he begged. "I never wanted to hurt Silver! It saved me from drowning!"

Oliver's Lanturn joined in the persuasion to prove that he was innocent.

But the big Lugia just glared at him with its angry eyes.

Presently, the smaller baby appeared. It saw its parent, Oliver, and Silver together, and quietly landed not too far away.

The big Lugia kept glaring at the frightened boy.

The smaller baby was scared for the boy's safety and looked into his eyes. _This is all my fault. I left my sibling alone during that storm. That poor boy must've wanted to be friends with my sibling after the storm, but my mother showed up scaring him. I have to help him! _And it quickly flew to where Oilver, Silver, and the parent Lugia were. _Please, Mother! This human is telling the truth! He means no harm! My sibling is safe! Please don't harm the boy!_

Silver nodded as it and the smaller baby Lugia tried to calm the parent down.

The parent stopped glaring at Oliver and turned to the smaller baby.

Oliver was surprised at seeing another baby Lugia, who was still much smaller than Silver. He didn't know this Lugia could talk telepathically. Still, he was relieved that the parent turned away from him.

However, the parent started looking at the smaller baby Lugia in disappointment.

Oliver looked on in astonishment as the parent dove into the water, encouraging both Silver and the smaller baby to follow it.

* * *

The parent took the smaller baby aside some time later and had a private talk away from Silver and Oliver. _You were supposed to watch your sibling,_ it said sternly. _I asked you to do one simple job, and you failed me._

_But I was flying, Mother!_ the baby insisted. _I learned how to fly in the air on my first try without any help! I was having the time of my life!_

_I don't care! _the parent said angrily. _Your sibling could have been captured by that human over there! __How could you just leave it here all alone? And how could you tell that human was telling the truth, anyway? You should be ashamed of yourself!_

The baby Lugia felt like crying after hearing those words. Tears formed in its eyes. _I could sense it in the boy's heart, Mother._

The parent saw that it had hurt the baby's feelings. It then comforted the smaller baby Lugia.

_I'm sorry,_ said the parent. _I said those harsh words, never realizing how sensitive your feelings were. Now I'm the one who should be ashamed. I was just looking out for your sibling. I am fiercely protective of it and you. But there may be something about you that I may have missed all this time. You said that you were flying, right?_

The smaller baby nodded.

_And you can speak telepathically with almost anyone,_ continued the parent. _That is highly unusual for any Pokémon._

_But why couldn't you emit any words with that human over there?_ asked the baby.

_Because I can only speak when there aren't any humans around,_ answered the parent. _I only emit roars of a...a dragon when any human, good or evil, is around. You may be able to talk with humans anywhere. Perhaps, you may have developed some intelligence much faster than your sibling or I could have ever had. You may be the most intelligent of all of us here._

The baby started to feel better after that.

_However,_ continued the parent, _now that you have made yourself fully independent by flying around on your own, I am going to have to ask you to leave us._

The baby was shocked. _Leave? But what am I supposed to do without you, Mother?_

_(Music Cue: Life's Purpose (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambition"))_

_You're all grown up now_, replied the parent. _You have someone who can take better care of you than I can right now. You may not be able to reach your full height. However, you've gotten stronger and faster with all of our workout sessions, plus you're able to fly without any help, but your sibling cannot. I also have to deal with the presence of a human here. And as good as your intelligence is, your presence here could put all of us in great danger._

The baby stood there, shocked at the thought of leaving, but soon, it sadly understood why it had to go.

_Before you go, I must give you this, _added the parent as it picked up a strange silver feather it found on Ogi Isle and gave it to the baby.

_Isn't that one of my feathers, Mother? _asked the baby.

The parent nodded. _It is indeed your feather._ And it tucked the Silver Wing safely in the baby's feathers. _Please take t__his as a lasting reminder of my love for you. You and that human you made friends with may find it useful. There may even be something magical about this feather._

_Magical? But what do you mean?_

_Go, my baby. Find your own way. Have a sense of adventure. Have fun. And remember that I will love you always, even when you're not here._

The baby and the parent hugged each other and held each other real close for a long time. Then slowly, they let each other go.

_Maybe I'll see you again someday,_ said the baby as tears began to fall from its eyes. _I love you, Mother, and goodbye. Don't forget me. _Then it sadly took off into the air.

The parent sadly looked on until the baby was out of sight. _Goodbye, my baby. And good luck._

* * *

As the sun sank lower and lower in the sky the parent kept watch over Silver as Oliver continued to play in the bay with it and his Lanturn swimming nearby It was still nervous around strangers, but it was right there should any trouble come. However, it never stopped thinking about the smaller baby Lugia, who continued to fly through the night as tears fell from its eyes.

* * *

_And so, the tale of a legendary Pokémon begins as it flies without looking back. What new adventures will it have in its life? And will it cross paths with Tristan again? Stay tuned as the young Lugia keeps on flying..._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	21. REUNITED

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 21 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Like the last chapter, I wrote this one months ago, but made some adjustments to make it better. You may recall my earlier chapters where Tristan and Pikachu meet and befriend the baby Lugia that would soon be able to speak telepathically. Well, they reunite in this chapter. I also want to point out that there is a music cue from the English dub of the second Pokémon movie. That music was composed by Ralph Schuckett. I wanted to make this part of the story as epic as I could. Also, there will be many of Shinji Miyazaki's music cues from the Japanese version of the second Pokémon movie. I hope you enjoy this. **

**TEASER: After being forced to leave its family, the baby Lugia finds itself under attack by Team Rocket and reunites with Tristan, who makes a promise to protect it. But will he be able to keep his promise after Team Rocket attacks again?**

**Chapter 21: REUNITED**

_(Music Cue: Harmony Disturbed (as heard at the beginning of the English dub of "Pokémon: The Movie 2000"))_

The next morning, the baby Lugia continued to fly sadly in the sky, searching for Tristan and Pikachu. It couldn't get the awful memory of leaving its family out of its mind. It thought back to the awful discussion it had with its parent.

* * *

_You were supposed to watch your sibling. __I asked you to do one simple job, and you failed me._

_But I was flying, Mother! __I learned how to fly in the air on my first try without any help! I was having the time of my life!_

_I don't care! __Your sibling could have been captured by that human over there! __How could you just leave it here all alone? You should be ashamed of yourself!_

* * *

What was once the greatest achievement for the baby Lugia turned out to be the saddest day of its life. It had learned to fly all by itself with no help from its mother, and had displayed unbelievable intelligence, but it had to leave its family behind to live a brand new life because its high intelligence would put its family in danger. The parent Lugia had gotten to Oliver before the baby could on the day before, and it felt so sad remembering that awful conversation with its mother. So it found itself brokenhearted with no family or friends to support it and cheer it on physically...none except Tristan and Pikachu. So, with tears still falling from its eyes, it continued its journey in the sky to find them.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a secret hideout not too far away, an army of ten Team Rocket Grunts was standing by, awaiting orders from one of their superiors.

Presently, a giant screen turned on, and a man with a peach-colored mustache and partially bald head appeared.

It was Professor Namba. "Greetings, men."

All the Rocket Grunts stood in attention as Professor Namba began his speech.

"As you know, I've done extensive research on legendary Pokémon that live in the Johto region," explained Professor Namba. "But the Pokémon that intrigued me the most was the legendary Pokémon, Lugia. It's said that a light fluttering of Lugia's wings can tear apart cliffs, but I've also heard that it can cause torrential rainstorms that last as long as 40 days and 40 nights. What intrigues me most of all, however, is that it can launch incredibly high-powered beams of energy. That's why I want its power."

"Have you seen one recently?" asked one of the Rocket Grunts.

"Yes, actually, I have," answered Professor Namba. "I've seen a giant Lugia nesting on the Whirl Islands a few weeks ago. It was after I got blasted by two good-for-nothing kiddies in that nasty storm. But you know how some legendary Pokémon can be. They like to keep themselves away from human eyes. That's why I've assigned you to go to the Whirl Islands. Find the Lugia, capture it, and bring it to me at once."

"Yes, sir!" said the Rocket Grunts.

The screen turned off, and all the Rocket Grunts quickly left the room to begin their assignment.

Outside the hideout, a hatch opened on top of the building.

A large helicopter appeared from it. The helicopter's blades started to turn. Faster and faster they turned, and soon, the helicopter took off into the sky and quickly gained altitude.

As the helicopter flew, the Rocket Grunts saw something flying that made them gasp in surprise.

"No way! It's a Lugia!" one of them said.

"But it's so small!" put in another. "Yet it can fly!"

"Well, this should make our job much easier," said another Grunt, who was in charge of the operation. "All right, let the capture commence." And he increased the helicopter's flying speed.

Meanwhile, just outside, the baby Lugia was unaware of the danger as it flew along. Suddenly, it heard the whirring of helicopter blades. It looked around and saw the helicopter, which rapidly closed in on it. The baby Lugia, sensing evil in the helicopter, flew even faster to try and get away from it, but no matter how hard it tried, the pilot managed to stay on its tail.

"So you want to play chase now, do you?" said the lead Rocket Grunt as he increased the helicopter's flying speed even more.

The baby Lugia, now feeling scared, kept on flying to try and outrun the helicopter. But as fast as it flew, the lead Rocket Grunt's expert piloting skills allowed the helicopter to close in on it even more.

"All right, we're close enough," said the lead Rocket Grunt. "Attack now!"

Without warning, the windows of the helicopter opened and multiple Poké Balls were thrown into the air; they opened and revealed a flock of Koffing, which quickly surrounded it.

The little Lugia found itself in big trouble as it trembled helplessly.

"Koffing, Poison Gas attack now!" ordered one of the Grunts.

The Koffing immediately spewed poisonous gas from its mouth at the baby Lugia, who coughed in it.

Next, another barrage of Poké Balls was thrown out of the windows, and out came a flock of Golbat.

"Golbat, Supersonic attack!" shouted the second Grunt.

The Golbat emitted a piercing sound from their mouths as waves struck the baby Lugia, forcing it to cover its ears.

"It won't be long now," said the lead Rocket Grunt.

As Koffing's Poison Gas and Golbat's Supersonic attacks engulfed it, the baby Lugia could hear a familiar voice in its mind.

_My baby, are you all right?_

The baby Lugia was surprised. _Mother, is that you? I'm scared! Please help me!_

"Hurry, Golbat, use Wing Attack!" ordered the second Rocket Grunt.

One of the Golbat's wings glowed and struck the baby Lugia, giving it major damage, even as Koffing's Poison Gas continued to engulf it.

Then another, and still another struck it, giving it serious damage.

_Where are you, Mother?" _asked the baby Lugia. _I can't see you! I'm being attacked! What should I do?_

_My baby, I'm communicating to you through the Silver Wing, _explained the parent Lugia's voice. _Now listen to me carefully. You have the power to get out of this. Use the Silver Wing to make your wish._

_My wish? But what is it?_

_I think you know. That Silver Wing has many magical abilities, and granting wishes in an emergency is one of them. Hurry, my baby, you don't have much time._

The baby Lugia was still being struck by multiple Wing Attacks as Koffing's Poison Gas continued to envelop it. It then closed its eyes and awaited its fate as it said to itself, _Tristan...I wish...you could save me._

Then suddenly, like magic, the Silver Wing in its wing glowed in response to Lugia's wish as the blinding light struck the flock of Golbat, who were forced to fly away from their target.

All the Rocket Grunts shielded their eyes from the bright light because it was so strong.

However, the baby Lugia, after suffering multiple direct hits, went into a nasty nosedive.

"You fools!" fumed the lead Rocket Grunt. "You're letting it get away!"

The baby Lugia, still in pain from the attack, spiraled out of control and was falling out of the sky at tremendous speed toward the ground below.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Arriving at Pokémon Park (from the beginning of the Japanese version of "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" (as heard in the beginning of "Hour of the Houndour")))_

_Today, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are continuing their journey through the Johto region. The sky is clear and the breeze is warm. But little do they know that a surprise will soon be falling their way._

"I can't believe how awesome the weather is," said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu traveled through a clearing in the woods.

"Yeah, it just makes you want to run with energy to spare," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi happily agreed with them.

"Still, I wonder what legendary Pokémon Mewtwo was talking about," said Tristan.

"I don't know, big bro," replied Hillary. "But whatever it is, it must be very powerful."

Suddenly, Pikachu pricked up its ears and alerted Tristan and Hillary at once.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

"Tristan, look up in the sky!" gasped Hillary as she looked and pointed up.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation: Lugia")_

Presently, something appeared in the sky and came into view as it fell.

Tristan and Hillary looked up and saw a small silvery white bird falling from the sky at frightening speed.

"Something's coming this way, and it's coming fast," said Tristan.

"Tristan, watch out!" cried Hillary as she and Pikachu moved away.

Unfortunately, Hillary's warning came just a little too late, for as Tristan watched mesmerized by the sight of the silvery white creature, it fell right into his arms, causing him to lose his balance and fall flat on his back.

Of course, for everybody concerned, it was a blessing in disguise.

"Tristan, are you okay?" asked Hillary as she and Pikachu quickly rushed over to him.

"I think so," replied Tristan as he slowly got up and gently put the Pokémon down. Then he saw what he had just saved. He gasped in shock; he knew what it was.

"What's the matter?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know how to say this, sis, but I think this Pokémon and I have met before," said Tristan. "I think it's the baby Lugia I befriended!"

"You've met?!" gasped Hillary. She was just as shocked as Tristan was. "Could this be one of the same baby Lugia that you saw hatch from those eggs a few weeks ago?"

"It has to be! I know it is!"

Incredible, though it seemed, it was the same baby Lugia that Tristan and Pikachu met on the very morning it hatched.

_(Music Cue: Strange Weather (as heard in the Japanese version of the second Pokémon Movie "Revelation Lugia"))_

The baby Lugia managed to quietly whisper a few words telepathically. _Please...help me..._ Then it passed out.

"I think I just heard a voice," said Tristan. "It said 'Please help me.'"

"Tristan, look!" gasped Hillary. "I think this Lugia's hurt!"

Tristan and Hillary then saw the multiple injuries on the baby Lugia's body.

"I'm afraid it's much worse than that," said Tristan as he felt the baby Lugia's forehead. "It's got a terrible fever. We have to get Lugia to a Pokémon Center right now, and there's not much time."

"Let me see." Quickly, Hillary checked the map on her Pokégear and found one. "This one's the closest, and it's close by."

"Then let's go there," said Tristan as he carefully picked up the baby Lugia. It felt so light in his arms because it was so small.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu rushed to the Pokémon Center as fast as they could.

"Don't worry, Lugia," said Tristan. "We'll help you. I promise."

Little did they know that several pairs of sinister eyes were watching them from some nearby bushes. Yes, it was the same Team Rocket Grunts who initiated the attack on the baby Lugia.

"Why did it have to be two little children who saved it?" grumbled the first one.

"Never mind them," whispered a second. "We'll catch it when the time is right."

"Hm, looks like they're going to a Pokémon Center," put in a third. "This'll make things more interesting."

* * *

A few minutes later, they reached the Pokémon Center and explained the situation to Nurse Joy.

"Let's get it on the stretcher!" ordered Nurse Joy.

Tristan carefully put Lugia on the stretcher before Nurse Joy and Chansey rushed it to the operating room.

"I wonder what Dexter has to say about Lugia," said Hillary as she looked up Lugia's entry in her Pokédex.

_"Lugia, the Diving Pokémon," _identified Dexter. _"It has an incredible ability to calm raging storms. It is said that it appears when storms start. Lugia is known as the Guardian of the Sea."_

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu marveled at the information they just heard.

"You know, Hillary," said Tristan, "maybe that's what happened with us."

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary.

"Remember when we were caught in that raging storm near the Whirl Islands?" said Tristan. "We had just battled Professor Namba from Team Rocket, and we were being swept toward those gigantic whirlpools. But then, the parent Lugia came and calmed the storm and changed the direction of the current."

"But what could a Lugia as small as Pikachu be doing here in the first place?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe Professor Oak knows," suggested Tristan. "Let's ask him."

* * *

In no time at all, Tristan and Hillary told Professor Oak the whole story on the video phone.

"Hmmm," said Professor Oak. "That is highly unusual. A Lugia as small as Pikachu is something that I never heard of, but it's not uncommon to see a small Lugia that just hatched from an egg. And it's even more unusual that it became your friend right after it hatched."

"But we think this Lugia hasn't grown an inch," explained Hillary. "And it's only a few weeks old."

"What have you learned about Lugia, Professor?" asked Tristan.

"Well, even though I don't know everything about Lugia, we researchers have access to records regarding the sightings of this Legendary Pokémon."

"That's right!" said Hillary. "I remember that Grandma and Grandpa told us the same thing; Lugia's a Legendary Pokémon not soon to be forgotten."

Professor Oak nodded. "You've probably heard about this, but legend says that it can calm and give rise to storms. However, legend also states that a light fluttering of Lugia's wings can start torrential rainstorms that last for 40 days. Not only that, using that same power can blow houses apart and tear off cliffs."

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. They never knew that a Lugia could have such power.

"It sounds like Lugia's power can be dangerous at times," said Tristan.

"Yes," agreed Professor Oak. "Because of the devastation Lugia can accidentally inflict, it spends most of its time sleeping in solitude in the depths of the sea. However, I'm pretty sure that this one would never harm the two of you."

"Doesn't Lugia ever get lonely down there all by itself?" asked Hillary.

"I'm sure Lugia finds a way to survive one way or another," answered Professor Oak. "Well, I have to go. I have several Pokémon to feed. Take care, kids, and good luck with that Lugia."

The transmission ended.

"Tristan, maybe we should call Grandma, too," suggested Hillary.

Tristan and Pikachu agreed.

* * *

In a few minutes, they told the same story to their grandmother, Veronica, on the video phone.

"Incredible!" she said. "So, you're telling me that that's the same baby Lugia that you saw when it hatched?"

Tristan nodded.

"Tristan and I saw that it was hurt while flying," said Hillary. "But we don't know why. We think it was in some sort of accident."

Veronica had her doubts about that and shook her head. "I don't think it was an accident, kids. From the way you're describing it, I think somebody intentionally attacked it. In fact, I know somebody did."

Of course, when Tristan heard that, he was furious. "What kind of people would attack an innocent baby Lugia?!"

Hillary shushed him. "Let's keep it down. Nurse Joy needs to concentrate without too much noise."

"Sorry, sis," said Tristan. "I couldn't help it." He turned back to Veronica on the video screen. "Anyway, Grandma, this Lugia was so small, I could easily carry it in my arms. I don't think it's grown at all since it first hatched."

"Hmmm," replied Veronica. "That's weird. I wish I could help you figure out how to help it grow, but I'm afraid I have work to do back at home. Grandpa needs some help cleaning up the house, but I'll be thinking about you while you help out that Lugia. I know you have what it takes. I love you and take care."

"You, too, Grandma," said Tristan and Hillary together.

The video transmission ended.

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

Meanwhile in the operating room, Lugia was going in and out of consciousness as Nurse Joy worked hard to take care of its injuries. It was unaware of its present surroundings and whispering to itself as if looking for someone. _Where are you?_

Tristan heard that voice and thought it came from Hillary. "Did you say something, sis?"

"Not a word," answered Hillary.

"Maybe I just imagined it," said Tristan. Then, he heard the voice again.

_I just need...to feel safe. Please...come find me._

"There it is again. Don't tell me you didn't hear it that time," said Tristan.

"Now that you mention it, I did hear something that time," said Hillary.

"Maybe we should check it out," suggested Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu cautiously made their way to the window of the operating room.

When they got there, they saw Lugia tossing and turning on the bed, making Nurse Joy very nervous.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"I think Lugia might be scared because it's in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers," answered Hillary.

"You don't think Lugia thinks Nurse Joy is a stranger, do you, sis?" asked Tristan nervously.

"I hate to say it, Tristan, but yes," replied Hillary.

Presently, Lugia's fever escalated higher and higher as it kept tossing and turning.

Nurse Joy burst out of the operating room, panting wearily. "It's Lugia! I can't get it to calm down!"

Sure enough, Lugia was in a very distressed state as it continued tossing and turning on the bed frantically.

"I've tried everything to make it comfortable, and nothing seems to work!" explained Nurse Joy.

"Well, we've gotta do something," said Tristan.

"But what can we do?" asked Hillary. "The only thing we can do is to try and help it feel safe."

"Hillary, that's it!" said Tristan excitedly.

Nurse Joy, Pikachu, and Hillary were puzzled.

"Just a minute ago, I heard a voice saying 'Where are you?'," explained Tristan. "I don't know how to say this, but I think I can help Lugia calm down right now."

"But Tristan, what can you do?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe nothing, but I have to be with Lugia!" said Tristan. He was full of determination as he and Pikachu made their way into the operating room and slowly approached Lugia.

Hillary and Nurse Joy cautiously followed them.

Lugia kept tossing and turning, still feeling scared.

Tristan gently put his hands on Lugia. "Lugia, it's me, Tristan. It's all right now," he said. "I know you're scared, but I promise everything's going to be okay. Please, wake up."

At the sound of Tristan's voice, Lugia stopped tossing around. Then it slowly opened its eyes.

Hillary and Nurse Joy couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.

Lugia saw Tristan and Pikachu as it regained consciousness. _Tristan?_ _Is that you? And Pikachu?_

"Yes, Lugia, we're here now," answered Tristan. Then he gasped in shock at what Lugia just said. "You just talked?!"

Lugia nodded.

"Unbelievable!" said Hillary. "So it was Lugia's voice that we've been hearing all along."

"This is incredible!" said Nurse Joy. "I've never heard of a Trainer calming down a Pokémon just by using his voice before. How in the world were you able to do it?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to describe," said Tristan.

Presently, Lugia collapsed and fell unconscious again.

"Lugia!" gasped Tristan.

"It's out cold again," said Hillary.

"It must still be feeling the pain of the injuries it took earlier," added Nurse Joy. "You stay here with Lugia, and I'll handle treating it."

Tristan agreed. "Don't worry, Lugia. Pikachu and I won't leave you."

Even though it was unconscious at the moment, Lugia somehow knew what Tristan had just said.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

Two hours later, Hillary and Nurse Joy listened in amazement as they learned about Tristan and Pikachu's first meeting with Lugia.

"So you're saying that it saw you when it first hatched, and it quickly swam over to meet you?" asked Nurse Joy.

Tristan nodded. "And it lay on the ground, wanting me to pet it. I think this Lugia may have wanted to see what humans were like, so it wanted to learn from them. Since I was the first human it saw after it hatched, it must have wanted to learn about the world from me."

"But I wonder why it would show up here of all places?" said Hillary. "It doesn't make sense that it would fly over to meet you in this condition. It has to be a coincidence."

"Well, coincidence or not, I think the only one who can tell us that reason is Lugia," said Tristan. "Pikachu and I will stay with Lugia tonight and keep an eye on it."

"But what about that long journey of yours?" asked Nurse Joy.

"And what about your next badge?" added Hillary.

"Don't worry about that," replied Tristan. "Getting badges and catching Pokémon is important, but if a Pokémon needs help, I want to help it as much as I can. Besides, I promised to help it. And a promise is a promise."

Hillary and Nurse Joy understood what Tristan just said, and they happily stood by his decision.

* * *

Late that night, after Hillary and Nurse Joy went to bed, Tristan and Pikachu kept a close vigil on Lugia.

Lugia's fever was slowly, but surely, going down, and it was recovering nicely from its injuries. After a while, it opened its eyes and once again regained consciousness.

"Lugia, you're awake," whispered Tristan. "Thank goodness."

Lugia managed to say a few words. _Where...am I?_

"You're at the Pokémon Center," answered Tristan. "Pikachu and I took you over here so Nurse Joy could give you some treatment. You were in very bad shape."

_I haven't had any food or drink since this morning, _groaned Lugia. _Could you help me?_

"I think I can help you with that," said Tristan. "Wait here."

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

Tristan quickly made his way to a vending machine and got a cold bottle of Moomoo Milk from it. A moment later, he returned and gave it to Lugia.

_What's this?_ asked Lugia.

"This is Moomoo Milk," said Tristan. "It's very tasty and nutritious. I've had Moomoo Milk many times before, and it's one of the best drinks out there. I think it may be just what you need to grow big and strong. Do you want to try it?"

Lugia nodded.

Tristan opened the lid and held the bottle close while Lugia drank from it. He felt like a parent giving a baby his milk from a baby bottle.

Lugia felt happy drinking nutritious Moomoo Milk. _Thank you for this,_ it said. _I've never had it before. It was tasty._

Tristan grinned.

_By the way,_ said Lugia, _I like you and you like me. I don't know what we are when we like each other._

"That's easy, Lugia," smiled Tristan. "We're friends."

_Friends?_ repeated Lugia.

Tristan nodded. "Friends are people and/or Pokémon who know each other and have mutual affection, like companions or comrades. And they help each other out when they need it."

_Who's the girl?_ asked Lugia. _Is she a friend?_

"She is," smiled Tristan. "She's my sister. And I'm her brother. Her name is Hillary."

_Hillary,_ repeated Lugia. _That's a nice name. So what's a brother and sister?_

"Brothers are male siblings and sisters are female siblings belonging to the same family," explained Tristan.

Lugia was beginning to understand what Tristan was telling it as it thought about its own family. _Hey, Tristan?_

"What is it?" asked Tristan.

_I want to learn more about the world from you, _answered Lugia. _But I also want to fly around the world and learn about it on my own. What should I do?_

"Why not do both?" suggested Tristan.

Pikachu smiled in agreement.

Lugia smiled at the idea. But then it became concerned at something else. _I want to grow big and strong like my mother. But I'm not sure how. I've tried everything from swimming fast and flying high and racing to eating right and sleeping well. And nothing works._

"Even though workouts and getting enough food and sleep will help with growing," explained Tristan, "sometimes, the answer may already be in front of you. I'm sure you'll grow big and strong before you know it. Of course, I want you to grow big and strong, too, but I'll love you like all Pokémon no matter what size you are."

Lugia felt better after that. _Thank you, Tristan. That means a lot to me._

"Well, let's get some sleep," said Tristan to Pikachu and Lugia. "I think a good night's rest is just what we all need. Good night, guys." He yawned and went to sleep next to Pikachu and Lugia.

_Good night, friends,_ yawned Lugia, and it fell fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan and Pikachu woke up feeling refreshed as ever.

Lugia was still sleeping. Its wounds were almost completely gone.

Tristan and Pikachu smiled.

"Looks like Lugia's already getting better," whispered Tristan. "It should be back to full strength in no time."

Presently, Lugia slowly woke up, stretched its wings, and yawned loudly. Then, it opened its eyes and saw Tristan and Pikachu. _Good morning, Tristan. Good morning, Pikachu._

Pikachu smiled and greeted Lugia.

"Good morning, Lugia," smiled Tristan. "Did you sleep well?"

_Yes, I did, thank you, _answered Lugia. _And I feel a whole lot better._

"I'm glad to hear it," said Tristan.

Hillary and Nurse Joy came to the main lobby just as Tristan, Pikachu, and Lugia came out of the recovery room. They were happy to see Lugia nearly back to full strength.

"Thank goodness Lugia's okay," said Hillary.

"I don't know what I would've done without you and Tristan helping me out back there," said Nurse Joy.

"Don't thank me, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. "Tristan was really the one who did it all."

"It was nothing," said Tristan. He turned to Lugia. "Hey, Lugia, I promise to be here for you and protect you whenever you need it. And I will never go back on my word."

"And a promise is a promise," added Hillary.

_What's a...promise? _asked Lugia.

"It's a declaration, or a vow, by someone who will do a certain thing," answered Tristan. "Whenever you're in danger, I'll always help you. That's my promise to you."

Lugia thought about it. _Thank you, Tristan. I believe in you, and I always will._

"Hey! It's that Lugia!" shouted a voice.

_(Music Cue: Legendary Birds Freed (first part (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Tristan and his friends noticed three men in black uniforms. They all had red letter "R's" on them.

"Hey, who are you guys?" demanded Nurse Joy.

"Tristan, look at that letter!" gasped Hillary.

"Team Rocket," said Tristan disdainfully. "I should've known they'd be the ones who attacked Lugia in the first place."

Lugia became very distraught and trembled. _I'm scared now, Tristan. Are these guys friends?_

"No, Lugia, these guys are enemies," answered Tristan.

"And these guys will do anything to get what they want," added Hillary.

"Not if I can help it!" Tristan defiantly stood in front of Lugia as he faced the Rocket Grunts. "You stay away! I vowed to protect this Lugia!" He took out his Friend Ball and readied it.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," said the first Rocket Grunt. "How are you gonna stop us from getting it?"

"If you think you'll get your greedy hands on Lugia, you'll have to go through me first! Chikorita, I choose you!" Tristan threw his Friend Ball and Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Chikorita, determined as ever, was ready to defend Tristan and his friends against Team Rocket.

"Don't worry, Lugia," said Tristan. "I promise to protect you from those guys. Everything's gonna be fine."

Lugia was still scared, but it saw Tristan's determination to protect it no matter what.

"Go, Golbat, Bite attack!" commanded a second Rocket Grunt as he threw a Pokéball.

Golbat materialized from the white light and flew at Chikorita, using its sharp fangs to attack.

"Chikorita, use your Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita shot two green vines from the bud necklace and scored a hit on Golbat, stopping its Bite attack.

"Now use your Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

Chikorita charged at Golbat and rammed into it, causing it to fall on the Grunt.

"Yeah, that was great, Chikorita," commended Tristan.

Chikorita smiled.

"No you don't!" yelled the third Rocket Grunt as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Koffing, Sludge attack!"

Koffing emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball, and brown sludge was released from its mouth. The sloppy sludge hit Chikorita in the eyes, blinding it and causing it to cry out in surprise and pain.

"Chikorita!" gasped Tristan.

_Why can't those guys just disappear in a cloud of smoke_? trembled Lugia.

"Smoke...That's it!" said Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Quick, Hillary, use your Cyndaquil. Its Smokescreen attack may be our best chance to escape."

"Right, Tristan," replied Hillary as she took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Cyndaquil, Smokescreen attack!"

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball and emitted a large gray cloud of smoke from its mouth, causing all three Rocket Grunts and their Pokémon to cough.

"Hey, I can't see!" choked the first Rocket Grunt.

"I guess the smoke has gone to your eyes!" hacked the second Rocket Grunt.

When the smoke cleared, the Grunts noticed that everyone inside had disappeared.

"Those bratty kids got away," grumbled the first Rocket Grunt.

"Lugia, too," added the second Grunt.

"I can see that, morons!" seethed the third Rocket Grunt.

They all took off looking for the kids and Lugia. "We're gonna find you, you cowards!"

Meanwhile, just outside the Pokémon Center, Tristan and his friends hid themselves in the bushes and had seen Team Rocket disappear into the woods.

"That was close," said Tristan.

"That was a great idea, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

"Actually, it wasn't my idea, sis," said Tristan. "Lugia helped us get away."

"Lugia did?" gasped Hillary. She was surprised.

Lugia was just as surprised as Hillary was.

"How did Lugia help us, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

Tristan explained what he meant. "When Lugia mentioned that it wanted Team Rocket to disappear in a cloud of smoke, that's when I got the idea to use your Cyndaquil's Smokescreen attack to create a diversion. And that helped us get away from them." He turned to Lugia. "That was a very smart move, Lugia. Thanks a lot."

Lugia was surprised. _You're welcome, I think. Actually, I should be thanking you...because you kept your promise. You protected me from those awful people when they wanted to capture me._

Tristan realized that Lugia was right. He did keep his promise, and that was what counted.

"Something just doesn't add up," said Nurse Joy. "Why were those guys after that Lugia?"

"I don't know," replied Tristan. "But if I know Team Rocket, they'll be back, and they won't stop until they capture Lugia."

Lugia then felt sad. _This is all my fault._

"What do you mean, Lugia?" asked Tristan. "You didn't cause Team Rocket to show up."

"But Tristan, we still don't know why Lugia is here instead of with its family," said Hillary.

_Perhaps I should tell you my story,_ it said. _Then maybe you'll understand why I'm here._

* * *

_As our friends prepare to listen to Lugia tell its story, what surprises will they look forward to? What mysteries of Lugia's past will our friends know? Stay tuned to find out, as the journey to the Johto League continues!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	22. GROWING UP

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 22 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I was inspired to write this chapter for two reasons. The first reason is because of one children's book called _Clifford, the Small Red Puppy_, which is part of the _Clifford the Big Red Dog _franchise by the late Norman Bridwell. In that story, Emily Elizabeth's love for Clifford allows him to grow from a small red puppy to a big red dog in a matter of days. Clifford is the mascot of the publishing company, Scholastic. The second reason is because of the very first _Dragon Tales _episode called "To Fly With Dragons," where siblings Emmy and Max visit Dragon Land and fly with their dragon friends for the very first time. _Dragon Tales' _production companies are the Sesame Workshop and Sony Pictures Television. And this is just another reminder that I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known character names are trademarks of Nintendo. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After Lugia tells its story to Tristan, his love and compassion allows it to grow big and strong. But during their first flight together, they once again find themselves under attack by Team Rocket, and it's up to Lugia to overcome its self-doubt and save the day!**

**Chapter 22: GROWING UP**

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 2000: Emperor of the Crystal Tower)_

_Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu had an unexpected visit from a Lugia, only to discover that it was the same small Lugia that Tristan saw and bonded with when it first hatched on Ogi Isle in the Whirl Islands. Seeing its injuries, our heroes wasted no time bringing it to the Pokémon Center for treatment. However, Lugia was not feeling at all safe in unfamiliar territory, but Tristan's presence was all it took to help it calm down. The next morning, our heroes were unexpectedly attacked by three Team Rocket Grunts, who were the same ones who attacked and attempted to capture Lugia to begin with. Thanks to Lugia's smoking idea, our heroes used Cyndaquil's Smokescreen to escape Team Rocket's evil clutches. Now, our heroes are anxiously listening as Lugia prepares to tell them its story of how it got to their location in the first place._

* * *

"So what happened, Lugia?" asked Tristan as he and his friends continued to peer through the bushes.

"And how did you learn to fly so quickly?" added Hillary.

Lugia sighed sadly. _I'm afraid that's the trouble._ And it began its sad story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Second Chances)_

_Ever since I first hatched and saw Tristan, I always knew I had some talent,_ began Lugia. _How much talent anyone has is a complete mystery, as you know. But I never even knew I could swim so fast until I actually saw Tristan for the first time. Well, a few weeks after I hatched, my mother took me under her wing and noticed that I hadn't grown at all. So we did vigorous training exercises every day. We had diving and swimming races, and I was able to beat her in every one of them. But no matter how much stronger or faster I got, I still didn't grow._

_But the day before yesterday was the day that changed my life forever, for my mother asked me to watch my sibling while she got some food underwater. After she went, I wanted to see if I could get myself off the ground. And as strange as it sounded, I was able to do it without any guidance from my mother. I really wanted to see how fast and far I could go. It felt like the happiest day of my life. I felt so free that I wanted to fly all day long._

_But because I was flying so fast and far, I didn't see a huge storm come in, nor did I see my sibling disappear. Apparently, it had rescued a boy from drowning in the water from that storm. By the time I figured it out and flew back, my mother was already at my sibling's location. Honestly, I thought that she was going to hurt the poor boy because my sibling was around strangers. And you know how dangerous strangers can be. My mother yelled at me for not watching my sibling like I was supposed to, but she realized that I had a lot of talent, and had the potential to gain more. However, my flying talent came at a price. I was forced to leave my family behind because I was able to fly so early in my life, and my mother told me that my presence there with them could put my entire family in danger. I didn't want to say goodbye. But apparently, destiny had other plans for me. I was brokenhearted, and I couldn't figure out where I'd gone wrong, nor did I know who else to turn to for help._

_I was searching high and low in the Johto skies to find Tristan when I was viciously attacked by a flock of Koffing and Golbat from those same three people we just saw. Apparently, those guys thought I was valuable because I was not only a Legendary Pokémon, but I was the smallest Lugia to be able to fly. I was hit so many times that I thought I was finished, but I was somehow able to communicate with my mother, who told me to make my wish. So I wished with all my might that Tristan would save me, and then I was sent plummeting down to earth, thinking that this was the end. I had fallen down somewhere and pleaded for someone to help me. And that was the last thing I remembered..._

* * *

"And that's how we found you," said Hillary.

"Or you found us," added Tristan. "No wonder you've had a pretty tough life so far."

"That's very sad," finished Nurse Joy.

Lugia nodded as tears fell from its eyes. It began to cry.

"Oh, dear, was it something I said?" asked Nurse Joy nervously.

Tristan gently picked up the crying Lugia and hugged it gently in his arms. "It's okay, Lugia. You're safe."

"We're really sorry, Lugia," said Hillary. "We didn't mean to make you feel bad."

_I know, _replied Lugia as it wiped the tears from its eyes. _It's just that leaving my family was one of the hardest things I've had to do._

Tristan cradled Lugia in his arms as it sobbed its heart out. "I feel your pain, Lugia. Hillary and I were forced to leave our former home in Pallet Town behind after Team Rocket carried out their attack. I was just caught in the middle and had gotten kidnapped. I wish I could forget that awful day, but for some reason I just can't."

Lugia understood what Tristan was talking about as tears continued to fall from its eyes.

"We know that there are some very bad people in this world, but we're not like them at all," added Nurse Joy.

"Tell you what," put in Tristan, "you can stay with us as long as you like, and we'll even help you out."

Lugia stopped crying and said, _Do you mean that?_

"Of course, Lugia," replied Tristan. "That's what friends do, remember?"

_Oh, thank you Tristan, _said Lugia as it threw its face into Tristan's arms. _You're the best human friend I could ever ask for._

"But how can we make sure that Lugia stays safe?" asked Nurse Joy.

"Lugia can sleep with Pikachu and me in the bedroom tonight," suggested Tristan.

"That's a good idea," replied Hillary. "That way, we'll know for sure it's safe. After all, when it was with you in the examination room, it didn't feel afraid anymore."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

And so it was decided.

* * *

That night, Tristan, Pikachu, and Lugia got into one bed while Hillary and Togepi crawled into the other.

"Good night, Lugia," whispered Tristan. "I hope you have pleasant dreams."

_What are dreams?_ asked Lugia.

"Dreams are a succession of images, ideas, or feelings that occur in the mind while we're in deep sleep," explained Tristan.

"Some of these dreams can be good while others can be bad," added Hillary. "We've all had a mix of both every now and then."

_Well, I want to have good dreams,_ said Lugia.

"So do we," replied Tristan.

_About what you said to me last night_, said Lugia. _You'll still like me even though I may not grow any bigger, won't you?_

"Of course, Lugia," answered Tristan. "I like you very much. Just like Pikachu."

The children turned off the lights, said goodnight, and fell fast asleep.

Then Tristan said to himself, "Lugia, I wish you could grow big and strong...and I could fly in the sky with you."

After Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all fell asleep, Lugia closed its eyes and whispered to itself, _I wish I could grow big and strong like my mother. _It kept repeating itself over and over again. But in a matter of minutes, it soon fell fast asleep. As it slept, the Silver Wing in its wing glowed faintly, just like a nightlight.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Depart to the Pokémon Castle)_

During the night, Lugia had a dream where it had grown significantly larger. Tristan and Pikachu were having a blast flying on its back as it soared high in the sky. Lugia was really enjoying the company.

_Having fun, guys?_ asked Lugia.

"You bet we are!" answered Tristan. "Aren't we, Pikachu?"

Pikachu happily agreed with him as it hung on tight to Tristan's shoulder.

_Well, then, how do you feel about going faster?_ suggested Lugia. _That way you'll really feel like you're flying along._

"Go for it, Lugia!" replied Tristan.

_Okay, here we go! _said Lugia as it picked up speed.

Tristan and Pikachu were really having a ball as they flew faster in the sky.

_Wanna see me do a vertical loop?_ asked Lugia.

"Yeah, let's do it!" said Tristan excitedly.

_All right then, hold on tight! _said Lugia. It effortlessly did an aerobatic maneuver in a complete circle twice, just like a roller coaster, as Tristan and Pikachu held on. Then Lugia straightened itself out.

"Wow, that was fun!" said Tristan.

Soon, they saw a gigantic cloud, and they were headed straight for it.

"Look out! We're gonna crash!" shouted Tristan as he and Pikachu braced themselves.

They hit the cloud with a big bang.

* * *

"Ouch!" grunted Tristan.

Tristan and Pikachu found themselves on the floor, wincing in pain. However, the big bang that was heard didn't come from the cloud, for he and Pikachu noticed that they had fallen out of the bed onto the floor the next morning. What they saw next made them jump up in surprise.

"Hubba-wha?!" exclaimed Tristan. He rushed to a sleeping Hillary in her bed. "Hillary, wake up! You've gotta see this! Lugia's grown big time!"

Hillary moaned as she woke up. "Okay, what is it that you wanted me to see this time that couldn't wait until I..._WHAT IN THE WORLD?!"_

Sure enough, they all saw that Lugia had grown by about seven feet to the point where it was just as big as a Lapras. Hillary's shouting had aroused Lugia from a sound sleep on the bed.

"How did this happen?" asked Hillary in confusion. "That Lugia's huge!"

"I wish I knew," replied Tristan. "I'm surprised that Lugia didn't break the bed yet."

Just as Tristan said that, he and Hillary heard the bed begin to crack under Lugia's added weight.

"Uh-oh," said Tristan and Hillary together.

The bed frame broke and Lugia fell to the ground with a loud bang.

"Me and my big mouth," said Tristan disgustedly.

Suddenly Nurse Joy burst into the bedroom. "What's going on in here?" she asked. "I thought I heard a...WHOA! Goodness! That Lugia's huge!" She had noticed that Lugia had grown considerably.

"That's what I said," replied Hillary.

"I've never seen a Lugia grow this fast before," said Nurse Joy. "Normally, it takes several months for a Lugia to mature and grow, let alone fly."

_What happened?_ yawned Lugia in a deeper voice.

"I think you grew a lot," answered Tristan.

Sure enough, Lugia saw the unintentional damage to the bed its growth spurt had done.

Nurse Joy sighed. "Well, it looks like we have no choice but to take Lugia outside before something else happens," she said.

"But Lugia can't be outside alone," protested Tristan. "What if someone tries to capture it while we're not looking?"

"Tristan's right," agreed Hillary. "What if Lugia has nightmares and nobody is there to comfort it?"

Nurse Joy gave the matter a lot of thought. "Why don't we try and take Lugia outside together and then I can give it a checkup?" suggested Nurse Joy.

* * *

A little while later, everyone managed to get Lugia outside without damaging anything, although it did take a lot of effort.

Nurse Joy gave Lugia a checkup as promised. She checked Lugia's mouth and saw that two teeth were growing in nicely on the bottom. Next, she carefully checked its wings and its eyes.

"Well, despite the fast growth, there's definitely nothing wrong," concluded Nurse Joy. "Lugia seems to be in perfect health."

"That's great. Thank you," replied Tristan.

"What a relief," added Hillary.

"If you're all planning to sleep outside with Lugia tonight, you should think about dressing warmly," advised Nurse Joy. "It's supposed to be chilly tonight. I'll be heading back inside, but why don't you two play with Lugia?" And she walked back inside.

"Well, what should we do, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"We play with Lugia, that's what," answered Tristan. "Let's play with the beach ball!"

And together, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lugia all tossed the beach ball into the air, although it was hard to get the ball past Lugia. It was able to return almost any shot.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Nurse Joy was right, for that very night after the sun went down, the air felt chilly.

"Brrr!" shivered Tristan. "I should have brought something warmer to wear."

"Me, too," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu shivered, too. It was shivering much more than Tristan and Hillary were.

"Hey, Pikachu, why don't you come over here?" suggested Tristan.

Pikachu happily ran to Tristan and jumped into his arms.

Then Tristan held Pikachu very close to him and they shared their body heat. "How's that feel, Pikachu?"

Pikachu still felt cold, but was slowly warming up.

"I think I'll go and sleep in a nice, warm bed instead," said Hillary. And she picked up Togepi and went inside the Pokémon Center for the night.

"Good night, sis," said Tristan. "Sweet dreams."

_It sure is cold out here,_ said Lugia. Then it thought to itself. _What should I do? If I don't do something, Tristan and Pikachu will freeze. What would my mother do? _Then, it thought of how it used to get warmth from its mother's wing whenever it got cold. Then at last, it said to Tristan, _I think I have an idea that may keep us all warm_.

"What is it, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

_Well, why don't you and Pikachu sit over here in front of me, and we'll all get comfortable? _suggested Lugia.

Lugia carefully positioned itself in front of a tall tree and Tristan sat in front of it. Then, using its left wing, it carefully tucked Tristan and Pikachu in under it.

Lugia's wing was like a warm blanket, and Tristan and Pikachu didn't shiver anymore.

"Gee, I feel a lot warmer now," said Tristan. "Thanks a lot, Lugia."

Pikachu agreed.

_You're welcome, _replied Lugia. _I hope you sleep well. _It then yawned and closed its eyes. _Tristan?_

"What is it, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

There was a long pause. Then Lugia said, _I'm very happy that we're friends. _It then fell fast asleep.

Tristan closed his eyes. "I am, too, Lugia." In a few minutes, he and Pikachu were sound asleep.

* * *

The next morning, the air warmed up.

Lugia grew once more during the night. It was now close to 21 feet long and six meters high, which was well above average for a normal Lugia. It wasn't long after Lugia woke up that it heard muffling under its wings.

"Let me out! Let me out of here!"

"Pika Pika!"

It was Tristan and Pikachu, who were buried in Lugia's wing.

_Oops, sorry,_ said Lugia as it carefully took them out.

"Phew! That's better," gasped Tristan. "It was getting a little stuffy in there." Then he noticed that Lugia got even bigger. "Lugia, you've grown again!"

_I don't know how I keep growing,_ replied Lugia. _If I keep growing like this, I could be bigger than the world._

"Well, it looks like your wish came true," said Tristan. "You wished to grow big and strong, and now, look at yourself. You really look big and strong now."

Presently, Hillary and Togepi came out of the Pokémon Center. "Good morning, guys, did you sleep well?" Then she noticed that Lugia got even bigger. "Goodness, this is the fastest growth spurt I've ever seen! Not to mention the growth that happened overnight! That Lugia's bigger than all of us!"

Sure enough, Lugia was much, much bigger than Tristan and Hillary. It could easily carry them compared to 48 hours before when it could easily be carried itself.

"Hey, Tristan, I'm gonna get us some breakfast to celebrate this occasion," said Hillary. "It shouldn't take me long, but maybe you and Lugia can spend some time playing together."

"Okay, sis," replied Tristan. "I'm looking forward to it."

And Hillary and Togepi went back inside the Pokémon Center.

_Come on, Tristan!_ said Lugia excitedly. _I want to show you what I can do! Pikachu can come, too! _And it started to take off into the air...but not for long, for it noticed Tristan and Pikachu still on the ground. _Aren't you coming?_

"We can't fly!" called Tristan.

_Can't fly? _Lugia was surprised. It then landed on the ground next to Tristan and Pikachu. _Not even a little bit?_

"Nope," answered Tristan.

_I don't understand it,_ said Lugia. _I thought other things can fly like I could._

"Well, some things just aren't made to fly on their own," explained Tristan. "Humans can't fly, and neither can some Pokémon."

_I know! _said Lugia. _I can give you a ride!_

Tristan really got excited after he heard that. "Would you do that?"

Lugia nodded as it folded the plates on its back and lowered its slender neck toward the ground. _Go ahead. Climb on._

_(Music Cue: Route 38 (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

"Okay!" smiled Tristan as he and Pikachu climbed on Lugia.

_Ready?_ asked Lugia.

Tristan and Pikachu nodded.

Lugia stood up to its full height as it raised its plates back up, flapped its wings, and easily lifted itself off the ground.

Tristan and Pikachu were enjoying the breeze on their faces as they flew higher and higher in the air.

"This is amazing!" said Tristan.

Lugia seemed to be enjoying the company as it flew. _I've never carried anyone up into the sky before, _thought Lugia to itself. _Tristan and Pikachu feel so light on my back. It's almost as if they were never here. But they are, and they're my precious cargo. So I have to make sure they stay safe._

"Hey, Lugia, do you think we can go a little faster?" asked Tristan. "That way we'll feel like we're really flying."

_Okay, _replied Lugia as it increased its flying speed.

Tristan and Pikachu were really enjoying themselves now.

"This is fun, Lugia!" said Tristan. "Are you having a good time, Pikachu?"

Pikachu excitedly nodded in agreement.

Even Lugia seemed to be having a good time. _I've never had such fun before in my life._

Meanwhile, not too far away, the Team Rocket Grunts had seen everything from their helicopter.

"Is that the same Lugia?" asked the first one.

"It is, if it's been hanging out with that kid all this time," replied the second one. "But it's so big now."

"Who cares?" put in the lead Rocket Gunt. "Let's just get it anyway and get it to Professor Namba. It doesn't know any attacks, thus leaving it totally defenseless!"

Just then, Pikachu picked up on the sound of helicopter blades whirring and alerted Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Legendary Birds Freed (second part (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia")))_

Tristan turned to see an electrified net that was launched from the helicopter and headed right for him, Pikachu, and Lugia.

"Dodge it, Lugia!" commanded Tristan.

Quickly, Lugia dove down and avoided the net.

"Rats! We missed it!" one of the Rocket Grunts said as he watched from the helicopter.

"Hey, you, kid on the Lugia, hand it over, or you'll be sorry!" demanded the voice of the lead Rocket Grunt from a loudspeaker.

"It's Team Rocket!" said Tristan. "We have to get out of here."

_Hang on, I'm gonna try and get us out of harm's way!_ advised Lugia as it flew higher and faster in the air.

Tristan and Pikachu held on tight as Lugia flew.

"They're getting away!" said one of Rocket Grunts.

"Then don't just hover there, you idiot! Go after them!" yelled the lead Rocket Grunt. "Here! You take the controls!" And he forced the other Grunt in the pilot's chair as he pulled on the stick.

The helicopter's engine increased in power as it climbed higher and faster and chased after Lugia.

* * *

Lugia continued to climb high and fast above the ground with Tristan and Pikachu hanging on tight.

_I sure hope Lugia has more power than Team Rocket does, _thought Tristan nervously.

_Do you think we lost them, Tristan?_ asked Lugia.

"I don't know, and I don't want to find out," replied Tristan.

Suddenly, they heard the whirring of helicopter blades. Sure enough it was Team Rocket's helicopter.

"I think it's safe to say they've seen us!" said Tristan.

"Get them!" shouted the lead Rocket Grunt.

A flurry of Poké Balls was tossed out of the helicopter's windows, revealing a flock of Golbat, which gave chase at once. They soon closed in on Tristan and Lugia.

"Faster, Lugia! They're gaining on us!" exclaimed Tristan.

Lugia flapped its wings even harder, allowing it to fly even higher and faster in the sky, but as high and fast as it flew, the Golbat almost seemed to match it speed for speed.

"All right, we'll just have to slow them down," said Tristan as he turned to Pikachu. "Okay, Pikachu, give them a Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu jumped off of Tristan's shoulder and let loose a yellow bolt of electricity at the Golbat, shocking them and knocking them out.

But soon, another flock of Golbat took its place.

Tristan saw them close in. "All right, Pikachu, if at first we don't succeed, blast them with your Thunderbolt again!"

Once again, Pikachu shocked the Golbat with a yellow bolt of electricity, but no sooner did Pikachu defeat the Golbat than another flock took its place.

The Golbat encircled Lugia, Tristan and Pikachu on all sides.

"We're surrounded!" grunted Tristan.

_All right, time for evasive maneuvers!_ advised Lugia as it went into a dizzying dive through the circle of Golbat to avoid them.

Tristan and Pikachu were getting dizzy, all right, but they managed to hold on to Lugia for dear life.

Then Lugia leveled out and began climbing up at remarkable speed.

_Lugia, I believe in you, _thought Tristan. _I know you can stop them if you just believe in yourself._

Suddenly, Lugia was at the same altitude as the Golbat and faced them.

"All right, Lugia, it's now or never!" said Tristan. "Do whatever it takes to stop Team Rocket!"

Lugia then opened its mouth. It was at that instant that blue energy formed inside it.

Tristan and Pikachu gasped in shock as Lugia fired an incredibly powerful beam from its mouth at all of the remaining Golbat, causing them to crash into the helicopter.

Lugia then aimed the beam at the helicopter itself, causing a tremendous explosion, and all of the Rocket Grunts were sent flying into the distance.

_DING!_

The cloud of smoke from the helicopter explosion was just clearing as Tristan and Pikachu looked on. They couldn't believe what they had just seen.

"Whoa. What was that?" asked Tristan.

_I'm not quite sure,_ replied Lugia. _All I knew was that I used a powerful attack on those Golbat, and all of a sudden, boom._

"Maybe Dexter knows what attack you just used," said Tristan.

_Who's Dexter?_ asked Lugia.

"It's what I call the Pokédex," answered Tristan as he took out his Pokédex to look up the name of the attack.

_"Aeroblast, Lugia's most powerful attack," _said Dexter. _"A powerful beam of energy is shot out towards the opponent; sometimes, it can land critical hits."_

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

_So that was an Aeroblast,_ said Lugia. It was very surprised at its newfound power. _I never knew I could do that._

"I didn't either," replied Tristan. "We'd better get back to the Pokémon Center. I'm sure Hillary and Nurse Joy are worried about us after our battle with Team Rocket. Think you can take us there, Lugia?"

_Your wish is my command,_ smiled Lugia as it gently did a 180-degree turn and started flying back toward the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Hillary, Togepi, and Nurse Joy had just come outside the Pokémon Center.

Hillary saw Tristan and Pikachu riding on Lugia's back as it descended lower and lower in the sky toward the ground. "Look, there they are!"

"Hey, sis!" said Tristan. "Sorry we're late!"

Lugia landed neatly on the ground. Then it lowered its neck, allowing Tristan and Pikachu to dismount.

"I really couldn't make it out exactly, but I thought I saw a tremendous beam of energy in the sky, and something exploded," said Nurse Joy.

"That was just Lugia taking care of business," replied Tristan. "You should've seen how powerful Lugia's Aeroblast attack was. It was super-strong."

"So that's what it was," said Hillary. "Was it its first try?"

Tristan nodded.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised anymore," chuckled Nurse Joy.

"Just wait till it gets some training in," added Hillary. "Then it'll be really strong in no time."

Lugia then turned to the kids and embraced them with its wings in gratitude. It really liked them, particularly Tristan and Pikachu. _I don't know what I would've done without you, _it said. _You helped me regain confidence in myself. But I'm still unsure of what I should do now._

"Why don't you come along with us," suggested Tristan. "That way we can play together all the time, and you'll never be alone."

Lugia shook its head. _That's very nice of you to offer, but I'm going to explore the world on my own for a while. I want to find my own purpose in life and learn to take care of myself._

Tristan felt sad, but happily understood Lugia's wishes. "I think you made a good decision, Lugia. You'll be just fine on your own. But I hope you know that I'll miss you very much."

_I know you will, and I'll miss you, too, _replied Lugia. _Oh, I just remembered something very important that I should give to you._

"What is it, Lugia?" asked Tristan. He wondered what gift Lugia would give to him.

Lugia managed to dig out a silver-colored feather from its wing.

Tristan was surprised. "Is that a Silver Wing? That looks just like the Silver Wing that Grandma told me about in her story!"

Lugia nodded. _It is. However, it isn't just any Silver Wing. It happens to be a magical one that fell out of my feathers just by chance when I first hatched._

"What do you mean, Lugia?"

_Do you remember the day we first met?_

"How could I forget that?" said Tristan. "You really wanted to meet me because you wanted to learn from me, right?"

_That's right, _nodded Lugia. _Apparently, my mother noticed the Silver Wing on Ogi Isle and gave it to me because she knew you would find it useful. Maybe that's the reason why fate brought the two of us together. There are so many magical powers that come with this Silver Wing, and summoning help from me in an emergency is one of those powers._

Tristan began to understand what Lugia was saying to him.

_Well, if, at any time you need me to come over to your location, whether it's to play or it's an emergency, you can always use it to wish that I'm here. I'll be there instantly._

_(Music Cue: Such Sweet Sorrow)_

Tristan marveled at the Silver Wing. "Thank you so much, Lugia. I'll never lose it."

"Wow, Tristan, that's so awesome!" said Hillary.

Nurse Joy agreed.

_So, what's next? _asked Lugia. _I mean, where are you off to now?_

"We're on our way to the next Gym in Azalea Town, so I can get another badge," answered Tristan.

_I know you can do it,_ said Lugia. _In the meantime, I look forward to the day when we see each other again._

"You can count on it," replied Tristan happily.

Lugia gently hugged Tristan with its wings. Then, it spread its great wings, and with a few flaps, it rose into the sky as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy waved goodbye.

"Bye, Lugia!" called Tristan. "See you soon!"

And he and his friends continued waving until Lugia had flown out of sight.

_I'm proud of you, Lugia, _thought Tristan. _"You've really grown up. I can't wait to see you again._

"I have something special for you from your grandmother, Tristan," said Nurse Joy. She handed him a special little case. "This case will be a perfect place to keep that Silver Wing of yours."

"Thanks so much, Nurse Joy," smiled Tristan. And he placed the Silver Wing inside and carefully put the case in his backpack

"And I have these for you two," continued Nurse Joy as she handed Tristan and Hillary necklaces with beads that looked like a leaf and fire, respectively.

"This is wonderful," smiled Hillary. "I'm very much obliged. This reminds me of when I first got my Cyndaquil."

"And me of getting Chikorita," added Tristan. He then turned to Hillary. "Hey, sis, do you think that the Silver Wing is the same item Mewtwo asked us to look for a while back?"

"It could very well be, Tristan," replied Hillary.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Tristan excitedly as he started running off. "Let's go!"

"Hey, Tristan, wait for us!" called Hillary as she, Togepi, and Pikachu started racing after him.

"Good luck on your journey!" called Nurse Joy as she waved to them. "And be careful out there, guys!"

"We will, Nurse Joy!" called Tristan and Hillary. "Thank you!"

And as they left the Pokémon Center, they felt happy in the knowledge that they had befriended Lugia and potentially saved its life.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Later that day, as Tristan and Hillary continued on the road, Mewtwo and Mew suddenly appeared in the sky and landed next to them.

_You two seem excited, _grinned Mewtwo. _Did you find something?_

"I think we found what you asked us to look for! Check it out!" said Tristan as he took out his case, opened it, and showed Mewtwo the enchanted Silver Wing that Lugia gave him. "This is the Silver Wing that my friend, Lugia, gave to me. It told me it was magical, and it fell out of its feathers when it first hatched. We even had a chance to fly in the sky together."

_That's the item I asked you to find, all right, _grinned Mewtwo. _Well done. I knew you could do it. __With that Silver Wing, you'll be able to get Lugia and any of the other legendary Pokémon you befriended to your location at any time. Now, Mew and I would like to show you to our new meeting place._

"Well, what do you think, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Should we go with Mewtwo and Mew to wherever their new meeting place is?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" said Tristan as he and Hillary grabbed on to Mew as it got ready to use Teleport.

* * *

_After seeing Lugia grow up in record time, Tristan and Hillary prepare to go with Mew and Mewtwo to their new meeting location. What new meeting place does Mewtwo have in mind? Stay tuned as our heroes' Johto League journey continues!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	23. A NEW MEETING PLACE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 23 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You may remember New Island from the first Pokémon movie, but I've decided that it needed to grow in size so that many Pokémon could live in many different habitats depending on their needs. And this chapter will remind me of the anime _Yu-Gi-Oh! _because I remember seeing the Millennium Puzzle hanging around Yugi Muto's neck. So I'm going to try and have the Silver Wing hang around Tristan's neck. You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter. There'll be some music cues from the English dubbed version of _Pokémon: The Movie 2000_, and they're both composed by Ralph Schuckett. This chapter will be a trifle shorter than most, but there will be longer ones, and there have been. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet Mewtwo and Mew in a new place where they and their legendary Pokémon friends can gather and see many Pokémon making that place their new home. **

**Chapter 23: A NEW MEETING PLACE**

_Last time, our heroes saw the young Lugia grow up to be big and strong at an incredible rate. But little did they know that after Tristan and Lugia wished for that to happen, the Silver Wing granted their wish._

_After Lugia had grown to its full height, it invited Tristan and Pikachu to fly in the sky with it, only to be attacked once again by none other than Team Rocket. But thanks to Lugia's powerful Aeroblast attack, Team Rocket was sent packing._

_Now, as Tristan and Hillary show Mewtwo the enchanted Silver Wing, they now prepare to meet it at its new meeting place. What will it be like? And will it be like the Chamber of Legends?_

* * *

"Well, sis, this is it," said Tristan as he grabbed on to Mew as it prepared to use Teleport.

Hillary grabbed on to Mew with one hand while holding on to Tristan with the other.

Mewtwo held on to Mew's shoulder.

Mew soon glowed in a white light, and so did everyone else, and together, they all disappeared from their present location.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi soon found themselves on an open grassy field.

"Where are we, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "But I know that we aren't in Johto anymore."

Mew happily flew around them as they looked around.

"Do you know where we are, Mewtwo?" asked Hillary.

_I do, _Mewtwo replied as it landed in front of them. _This is the place where I was originally created...New Island._

"New Island?" repeated Tristan. "That sounds familiar to me. This is the place that's between Kanto and the Orange Islands."

Mewtwo nodded. _Yes, but the legendary Pokémon and I have made it larger and more inhabitable than it originally was, for you see, this place has open fields, like this one. __Not only that, it has forests, caves, rocky terrain, and some mountains. This place__ has all the necessities for any wild Pokémon to come and live here. This place is miles from any human civilization, so humans don't venture out here very often._

"But we still don't know why we're out here in the open in the first place," said Hillary.

_You're right, so please allow me to explain it for_ you. And Mewtwo told its story.

* * *

_When I first met the young Trainer, Ash, he showed me that it doesn't matter how Pokémon are born, whether they were born naturally or created artificially. I had temporarily taken up residence on Mount Quena in the Johto region. Its clear waters proved that this world was my rightful place, too._

_When I first met you two on Cinnabar Island, I knew that you were the ones destined to become friends with any legendary Pokémon you encountered. I sensed the purity in your hearts. But even as I showed you the Chamber of Legends, I knew that we needed someplace that was more out in the open_

_I had actually wanted to set up a meeting place on an island that was miles from anywhere even while the Chamber of Legends was in existence. So even though the Chamber of Legends was destroyed by that person from Team Rocket, it had all played a part of my plans, although we...by we, I mean all the legendary Pokémon, you've befriended at that point...had to speed up the process of getting it ready._

_So we all worked together to build habitats for all kinds of Pokémon. We wanted to be sure that it felt like home to them whenever they chose to make it their home. However, we also wanted to make sure that you were comfortable whenever you came here._

* * *

_I had asked Tristan to find the Silver Wing because I knew that there was a legendary Pokémon that he would have a special bond with._

"Lugia, right?" said Tristan.

_That's right. _

Tristan began to understand why Mewtwo was telling him about the Silver Wing. "That explains why I was so drawn to Lugia's presence. There was something special about that Pokémon that I really can't explain. While I was on vacation in the Whirl Islands with Pikachu and Hillary, I had saved two Lugia eggs from a wild Tentacruel. And when I saw them hatch the next morning, one of the babies wanted to meet me right away because it wanted to learn about the world from me."

Hillary then started to connect the dots. "So as that Lugia stayed with its family on the Whirl Islands, it didn't seem to grow taller or longer, even though it was getting stronger and faster and gaining a lot of intelligence. And when it had to leave its family behind and got hurt, Tristan helped calm it down and helped it grow with his love and compassion for it like he would for any Pokémon."

"And Lugia gave me the Silver Wing because it thought I would find it useful," finished Tristan. "It said that I can use the Silver Wing to get it to my location at any time."

Mewtwo smiled. _It seems like you were able to help Lugia learn and grow already. And you were able to be friends with that Pokémon with no problem. And you were able to keep your promise to protect it, and it protected you in return._

"Yeah, you really should've seen how much power it had in our battle against Team Rocket," said Tristan excitedly. "Lugia fired a powerful Aeroblast at those guys on its very first try."

Mewtwo seemed to be impressed. _So what's it doing now?_

"It wanted to fly in the skies and explore the world," answered Hillary. "Tristan offered to let it come along with him, but it chose not to."

Tristan nodded in agreement.

_I understand, _agreed Mewtwo. _It seems to me that Lugia has made a grown-up decision all by itself. Now then, I should let you know that there are several more legendary Pokémon in the Johto region that you should meet. Have you heard of the legend of Ho-Oh?_

"I think we have," replied Hillary. "We met Morty, the Ecruteak City Gym Leader, and he helped explain how Ho-Oh gave life to three legendary Pokémon: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune."

"Yeah," put in Tristan. "And they were sent by Ho-Oh to watch the world from the ground while Ho-Oh watched from the skies above. Humans wanted its power. Centuries ago, it flew away from the Tin Tower after a destructive fire caused by humans who wanted its power for their evil purposes."

"Three nameless Pokémon didn't survive the fire," added Hillary. "But Ho-Oh used the forces of nature to create new lives for them."

"And that's how Ho-Oh created Raikou, Entei, and Suicune," finished Tristan.

Mewtwo was intrigued by the information it just heard. _You seem to have a wisdom that goes far beyond your years, _it said. _And it sounds like your destinies are very clear. However, I know that you have plenty of ground to cover while you journey out in the Johto region._

"Hey, Mewtwo, do you think you could show us around New Island?" asked Hillary.

_Yes, _agreed Mewtwo. _That's precisely why Mew and I led you here._

Tristan seemed to agree. "I sure wish Lugia was here to see this place. I think it would be very happy to see us all together."

Presently, Tristan's backpack glowed in a bright light, much to his amazement.

Tristan opened it, and saw that the case glowing in a bright white light. He opened the case and saw that the Silver Wing was the source of the glow. "What's happening?"

"I think the Silver Wing's responding to your wish, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Oh yeah!"

_That's right, _agreed Mewtwo. _And soon, your friend, Lugia, will be joining us as well._

Tristan raised the Silver Wing high into the air, excited to see Lugia again, and hoping it could see the glow.

And at that very moment, a whirlpool emerged from the surface of the water close to New Island, and sure enough, Lugia emerged from it and flew overhead.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in amazement as Lugia flew lower and lower and landed right next to them.

_I thought I was wished here, _said Lugia as it looked at Mew and Mewtwo. _Are these your friends, Tristan?_

"They sure are," answered Tristan. "They want to show us around New Island."

_Well, then, climb on! _said Lugia excitedly as it lowered its slender neck towards the ground.

"Come on, Hillary!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu excitedly got on Lugia.

Hillary placed Togepi in her backpack, got on, and sat herself in front of him.

_All right, follow us, _advised Mewtwo. _We want to show you something. _And it and Mew used their psychic powers to lift themselves off the ground.

Lugia raised itself to its full height, and with a few flaps of its wings, it became airborne and followed Mewtwo and Mew into the sky.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were checking out the cool view of New Island from above as they flew.

"This place is beautiful," remarked Hillary. "No wonder Mewtwo chose this place for all of us to meet."

"Not to mention that it was born here," added Tristan.

Mewtwo nodded. _I wanted to make this place a happy one, so I thought about starting over so that we never have to worry about the terrible memories here again._

Tristan nodded, for that was how things should be on New Island. But just then, he saw something flying through the air. "Hey, look!"

Everyone looked out, and sure enough, at that very moment, scores of Pidgey, Butterfree, and Ledian were flying through the air and were making their way toward New Island, flying past Lugia, Mew, and Mewtwo as they went.

"Those Pokémon must've come to make this place their home," remarked Hillary.

Mewtwo nodded. _And they want to welcome all of you as honorary residents here._

As Mewtwo spoke, Water Pokémon were beginning to emerge from the water below. Schools of Lapras and Magikarp could be seen coming in droves.

Multiple Gyarados could also be seen carrying many Pokémon living on the mainland to New Island to live there while countless others were showing up out of nowhere.

Tristan and Hillary waved to them as they flew over them.

"I've never seen so many Pokémon at one time!" said Hillary as she gasped in wonder.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Lugia all seemed to agree.

But suddenly, Pikachu pricked its ears and excitedly pointed behind them.

To Tristan and Hillary's excitement, they saw Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and their differently colored offspring coming to meet them and flew alongside them.

"I guess all the legendary Pokémon we befriended wanted to welcome us, too," said Tristan.

"I think you're right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "Now, the gang's all here."

Sure enough, all the legendary Pokémon that they met had shown up and were happy to see them, flying as they went.

Everyone was very happy.

Lugia was happy for giving Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu a ride in the sky while they were happy to witness a momentous event on their seemingly endless journey.

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, as well as their differently colored offspring were happy for flying along with them.

Mewtwo and Mew were very happy for meeting so many legendary Pokémon thanks to Tristan and Hillary's help.

And all the Pokémon were very happy for moving to New Island to live their lives in their natural habitats from forests to grasslands to the sea and everywhere in between.

_I think we made the correct decision asking Tristan and Hillary for help, _Mewtwo said as it watched the Pokémon proudly.

Mew nodded in agreement.

_I know they have what it takes to meet all the legendary Pokémon in this world. And in the process, they'll make their dreams come true._

The momentous occasion lasted for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Goodbye, Lugia (as heard in "Pokémon: The Movie 2000"))_

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Mewtwo, Mew, and Lugia along with the legendary birds and offspring all left New Island and teleported back to where they started from.

"It looks like we're all back," said Tristan.

"Sure looks that way," agreed Hillary as she looked around.

_You two know what you need to do now, _said Mewtwo as it and Mew flew in the sky.

"We have to meet all the legendary Pokémon and be friends with them," said Tristan. "And when we see them, we'll be sure to tell them how we feel about Pokémon."

"And help them out when they need it," added Hillary.

_That's right, _agreed Mewtwo. _And I know you'll succeed in this task. I owe you a great deal of thanks. We've assembled a great group of legendary Pokémon already._

Tristan and Hillary noticed that Mewtwo was right. They were now friends with six legendary Pokémon, plus three more that had hatched from eggs not too long ago, giving them a total of nine.

"I'm just glad we could help," replied Tristan.

_Sometime__ soon, I will need your help again. Until then, I wish you success on your adventures. We shall meet again. Farewell. _And with that, Mewtwo used its psychic powers to fly up into the air followed by Mew, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and their differently colored offspring. They all flew in different directions until they were out of sight.

"I sure hope we see everybody again," sighed Hillary. "I miss them already."

"Yeah, me, too," agreed Tristan. "Everyone's going their own way. I just wonder what they're gonna do."

_I wouldn't worry, _Lugia assured them. _Like Mewtwo said, we'll all meet again. _

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu looked up in the sky as Togepi appeared out of Hillary's backpack.

There were flocks of Pokémon flying through the air on their way to their destination.

"I sure would like to see more of the world like those Pokémon," said Tristan.

"Well, maybe we can, big bro," replied Hillary. "Don't forget that you still have plans to enter the Johto League."

Tristan then turned to Lugia and said, "I'm sure glad I have a wonderful friend like you, Lugia."

"Yeah, me, too," agreed Hillary.

_Actually, I should be thanking you, _Lugia replied. _You were the ones who rescued me and showed me love and compassion. And thanks to you, I've grown up to be big and strong. I hope that you'll never forget about me...just like I'm hopeful that my family never forgets about me._

"Don't worry, Lugia," said Tristan. "I have my Silver Wing. So we'll be together again real soon. And we'll see your family again, too. I promise."

"Yeah, I've been wanting to meet your family for quite some time now," agreed Hillary.

Lugia gave a chuckle. _Okay, but I should warn you that my mother's very protective._

"We'll be careful," promised Tristan.

_I must be off, _said Lugia. _I want to keep exploring the world by flying in the sky and swimming in the seas. __But before I go, I should give you something else. _And it took out a special little silver chain out of its wing and gave it to Tristan.

"What's this?" asked Tristan.

_With this chain, _replied Lugia, _you can wear your Silver Wing around your neck. That way, you'll be sure to keep it with you._

"I'm afraid I don't understand," said Tristan as he took out his Silver Wing out of the case. But as he took a closer look at it, he saw that there was a little ring where the chain could go through. He was pleasantly surprised. "I've never seen that before." And he carefully put the little chain through the hole in the Silver Wing. Then he hung it around his neck.

"It's a perfect fit," smiled Hillary.

"Thanks," said Tristan. "And thank you, too, Lugia."

Lugia nodded. _Remember_,_ you can use your Silver Wing to call me to your location anytime. _

Tristan nodded as Lugia embraced him with its wings.

_Farewell, my friends. And thank you._ Lugia flapped its wings and lifted off into the sky.

"Bye, Lugia!" called Tristan and Hillary. And they waved to Lugia until it flew out of sight.

* * *

_After meeting their legendary Pokémon friends at their new meeting place, they now know that their destiny of meeting more new legendary Pokémon is very clear. And for them, befriending a Lugia is quite an achievement, especially for Tristan. But for now, he and his friends plan to continue their journey for his second Johto League badge, and that task can only be completed at the next Gym in Azalea Town._

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

That night, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were in their sleeping bags after they had set up camp in the forest.

The wind was calm and the moon was bright. Only the sounds of wild Hoothoot could be heard.

"What an intense few days it's been," remarked Tristan. "Seeing Lugia again and helping it grow, and we got to see our other legendary Pokémon friends, too."

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "I still can't believe that Lugia wanted to be friends with you of all people. I think that's pretty special, don't you?"

Now it was Tristan's turn to agree. "I'll never forget the feeling of flying on its back and going at remarkable speeds. And that Aeroblast attack was really powerful. I can't wait to see it again. I'd sure like to help it get even stronger."

"Well, all you have to do is use that Silver Wing anytime you want to," said Hillary.

"Still, I wonder what Lugia's parent would think if it saw me with my Lugia friend."

"It'll be surprised, but I'm sure it'll be able to recognize its own child, even if it grew up to be big and strong, and even if it had a friendly human with it." Hillary then yawned and closed her eyes. "Good night, Tris."

"Good night, sis," replied Tristan. "Good night, Pikachu."

Pikachu yawned and closed its eyes, and together, it, Tristan, Hillary, and Togepi fell fast asleep.

* * *

As Tristan slept peacefully, he dreamed that he and Pikachu were flying on Lugia's back. They were having a blast flying through the clouds, high above the earth as Lugia did some aerial maneuvers, zigzags, and everything else. It was like a fun ride at an amusement park.

Next, they saw Hillary sitting right behind them. They were delighted that they could all share in the fun together.

* * *

Tristan continued to dream about flying on Lugia as he and Hillary slept peacefully all night long.

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	24. MONICA OF MONDAY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 24 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You may recall the week siblings in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. But in case you forgot, their names are Monica, Tuscany, Wesley, Arthur, Frieda, Santos, and Sunny. Well, I've decided I'd introduce them, one at a time, at different points in this story. This chapter may be a trifle shorter than others, but there will be longer ones, and there have been. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu encounter Monica and an angry swarm of Beedrill. But they'll have to wait until the storm passes to figure out how to get past them.**

**Chapter 24: MONICA OF MONDAY**

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

_With all the excitement of their latest adventure now behind them, our heroes, Tristan and Hillary, are back on the road. Their next destination: Azalea Town, site of Tristan's second Gym battle. But for now, they're walking through a nice forest._

"How are you doing, sis?" asked Tristan as he and Hillary walked along.

"I'm doing fine," replied Hillary. "How about you?"

"I'm okay," answered Tristan. "How about you, Pikachu?"

Pikachu gave a calm reply, as did Togepi.

Tristan thought about his latest meeting with Lugia, took out his special case, and opened it, revealing the Silver Wing. "I still can't believe that that little Lugia grew up to be big and strong in just two days. I mean, all I did was protect it from Team Rocket and gave it a little love and compassion. And this Silver Wing seems to possess extraordinary powers. But wherever Lugia is, I'm sure it'll be safe now."

Hillary seemed to agree. "And now we can use the Silver Wing to call it here whenever we need to."

Tristan closed the case and put it back in his backpack. "I'll have to be very careful with it. I don't want to think about what happens if it gets into the wrong hands."

"You won't lose it," Hillary assured him.

Presently, they saw a little house ahead.

"I wonder who lives here?" said Tristan.

"Let's go see," agreed Hillary.

They walked to the house and knocked on the door.

There was no response.

Tristan slowly turned the doorknob and the door opened, much to his and Hillary's surprise.

"Who would leave a house unlocked?" asked Hillary as she and Tristan slowly walked in.

Tristan then noticed a note on the table and began to read. "To my brothers and sisters: We take pride in serving Pokémon Trainers. If you see them, please be sure to give them a useful item. I love you and miss you. Love, Monica."

"It sounds like Monica's a very kind person, whoever she is," remarked Hillary. "She treats her brothers and sisters like family, maybe even closer than that."

Tristan agreed. He knew what it was like to have loving brothers, just like Hillary did.

"Maybe we should go try and meet up with Monica," suggested Hillary. "If the house is unlocked, I'm sure Monica couldn't have traveled too far."

"Good idea," replied Tristan. "Let's go." And he and Hillary took the note with them and gently closed the door.

* * *

Meanwhile, a pretty girl with braided brown hair and wearing a dress was walking in the woods, carrying sacks of groceries as she went. "What nice weather!" she said to herself. Suddenly, she heard some rustling through the bushes. "I wonder what that could be?" She went to the bushes to investigate.

But when she peered through the bushes, she saw a Beedrill in there.

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Tracey Gets Bugged"))_

It gave her such a fright that she screamed in horror and ran from the bush as fast as her legs would carry her, dropping her groceries as she went.

The Beedrill flew out of the bush and flew after her

The girl panted as she ran, but she tripped on a loose rock and fell to the ground.

The Beedrill closed in on the girl and got ready to attack using its conical stingers.

Fortunately at that moment, Tristan's Pikachu arrived on the scene and leaped into action, wasting no time giving the Beedrill swarm a Thunderbolt attack.

The Beedrill, feeling the painful shock, decided that they had had enough, and soon, they all beat a hasty retreat.

Tristan and Hillary arrived a moment later and helped the girl back onto her feet.

"Are you okay?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," answered the girl. "I never expected to find a Beedrill swarm in the bushes back there."

"What caused this to happen, miss?" asked Hillary.

"I was carrying my groceries home when I heard some rustling in those bushes I mentioned," explained the girl. "But the Beedrill appeared and chased me, scaring me half to death."

"Boy, it's a good thing we heard you," said Tristan. "I'd hate to think what would've happened if we arrived even a second later."

"Well, you don't have to think about it now," replied the girl. "I don't know how to thank you for saving my life."

"Aw, don't mention it," smiled Hillary. "My name's Hillary, and this is my brother, Tristan."

"Hi," added Tristan as he and Pikachu introduced themselves to the girl.

"My name's Monica," replied the girl. "It's nice to meet you."

Tristan was surprised. "You're Monica?! Then you must be the person who wrote the note to your brothers and sisters, right?"

Monica nodded. "I'm one of seven siblings who loves his or her favorite day of the week. I'm the oldest, and my favorite day is Monday."

"Why do you like Mondays so much?" asked Hillary.

"Because in my world, a brand new week means brand new things," explained Monica. "New possibilities, new things to do, and of course, today is no exception, because I met two brand new Trainers who just saved my life."

Presently, storm clouds could be seen coming in the sky.

"Uh-oh," said Hillary. "Looks like it's gonna rain."

"Oh, dear," said Monica nervously. "Where did I put my groceries?" She frantically looked around.

"Did you drop them somewhere?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, I remember dropping them when I was chased by the Beedrill," answered Monica. "But I don't know where they are now."

"Well, if we follow the path back to the bush, I'm sure we can locate them," said Hillary. "Come on, let's go get them before it starts raining." And she led the others down the path.

But unfortunately, somebody else had gotten to Monica's groceries, and it looked all too familiar thanks to its familiar buzzing.

"That's just great!" said Hillary. "That Beedrill has already taken half of Monica's groceries! Give them back, you!" And she quickly approached the Beedrill.

"Hillary, wait!" cried Tristan.

But it was too late, for just as Hillary was about to take the sack back, Beedrill turned around in anger and got ready to attack her with its conical stingers in retaliation.

To make things even worse, it was joined by many others.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

"Hillary, look out!" cried Monica. "Those things are sharp!"

Hillary gasped in shock as she held Togepi tightly in her arms and the Beedrill flew closer and closer.

But little did she and her friends know that Togepi began to wave its arms back and forth, in a rhythmic motion.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Monica rushed over to Hillary in a desperate attempt to save her.

But just as they reached her, Togepi's arms glowed white, and soon, they all disappeared just as the swarm was about to strike them.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

Back at Monica's house, Tristan and his friends magically appeared inside the living room. They had no idea how they got there.

"What happened?" asked Monica. "The last thing I knew, we were outside, trying to save Hillary from the Beedrill."

"Boy, we sure cut that one close, didn't we?" said Tristan. He saw Hillary still shaking while still holding Togepi tightly in her arms, and quickly rushed over to her. "Hillary, are you okay?"

"Yeah, but that was a close one. At least Togepi didn't get hurt."

"And you didn't either," replied Tristan. "I've never seen those Beedrill act so territorial before."

"I'm afraid the Beedrill will only keep getting more territorial at this time of the year," said Monica. "This is the time of year that Beedrill lay their eggs so that their babies will hatch undisturbed."

Just then, they heard a big rumble of thunder from outside, followed by big drops of rain.

"Well, I guess we won't be going anywhere for awhile," said Tristan.

"At least we'll be safe from the Beedrill," said Monica. "Maybe I can cook something for you all. Besides, it'll be a great way to pass the time."

"Yeah, and we can even come up with a plan to avoid the Beedrill, too," agreed Hillary.

"Great, then I'll get started on the food," said Monica.

"I'll help, too," added Tristan as he walked with Monica to her kitchen.

Hillary and Togepi were left alone, but they didn't mind that at all.

Hillary was confused because she didn't know why she and her friends were suddenly transported back to Monica's house and out of harm's way. She never suspected Togepi knew any attacks yet, but she said nothing.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

Some time later, as the rain continued to fall outside, Tristan and his friends sat down at the dining room table to have lunch.

"You're a very good chef, Tristan," remarked Monica. "Where did you learn to help cook things?"

"I learned that from a good friend of mine named Brock," answered Tristan. "When Hillary and I traveled through the Viridian Forest, Brock showed me how to make some wonderful meals, including those for Pokémon."

"And not only that, Tristan picked up on that very quickly," added Hillary.

Monica couldn't help but chuckle. "So, I understand that you're working hard to gain entry into the Johto League, right, Tristan?"

"That's right," answered Tristan. "I already have one badge from the Violet City Gym. Falkner was a super tough opponent."

"You got that right," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed as they happily chowed down.

"So what inspired you to serve Pokémon Trainers, Monica?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I was first inspired by seeing another Pokémon battle between two other Trainers," explained Monica. "So I managed to get my brothers and sisters together, and we agreed that we should be at seven different locations through the Johto region to help Pokémon Trainers. We wanted to see if they had what it took to find all of us. And since all of us were named after the seven days of the week, we thought it would make things more exciting if we gave Trainers items on certain days."

"Interesting story, Monica," said Hillary. "You must love helping Trainers just as your love your brothers and sisters."

Monica nodded.

"Now, we just have to figure out how to avoid the Beedrill," said Monica.

"I have a Cyndaquil," said Hillary. "It can use its Flamethrower attack on those Beedrill if they decided to attack us."

"Good thinking, Hillary," smiled Monica. "Cyndaquil's Fire-type characteristics will come in very handy against Bug-types like Beedrill. I can help you get past them, too, so you can continue on to Azalea Town."

"That's very nice of you, Monica," replied Hillary.

_I sure wish Charizard was with us, _thought Tristan. _It could help Cyndaquil take care of the Beedrill._

Presently, just outside, the clouds cleared up and the sun started shining again.

"Hey, look!" said Hillary. "It stopped raining! Now we can put our plan into action!"

"That's great," smiled Monica. "But what do you say we finish our lunch first?"

"I like that idea," replied Tristan.

And so, they kept on eating their lunch. All the while, they got even more inspired to get past the Beedrill and continue on the road.

* * *

A short time later, Monica led Tristan and his friends through the forest.

_(Music Cue: A Creeping Threat)_

"Let's spray some of this on," advised Monica as she dug out a bottle out of her bag. "This is Repel. It should be able to keep those Beedrill away from us. And if it doesn't, we proceed to plan 'B.'" And she sprayed it all over her arms and legs.

Tristan and Hillary each took turns spraying themselves with the Repel next.

Soon, everyone was covered.

"Now we can focus on getting past the Beedrill nest without disturbing them," said Hillary.

"Yes, but we'll have to do it quietly," said Monica.

Tristan and the others walked through the forest as quietly as they could.

Presently, they came to a familiar bush. It was the same bush that the Beedrill swarm was seen nesting in.

"We're approaching the Beedrill's nest," said Monica. "Try not to make a sound."

"Whatever you do, Hillary," whispered Tristan, "don't sneeze or even breathe."

"Don't breathe?!" exclaimed Hillary quietly. "I'd be going nuts if I didn't do that!"

They started to quietly make their way past the nest.

But unfortunately, Hillary accidentally stepped on a stick, crushing it and causing it to make a sound, startling her.

"Shhh!" whispered Tristan and Monica.

They all kept very still, hardly moving a muscle, waiting to see what would happen.

Tense seconds passed by, but nothing happened.

"Phew!" whispered Tristan. "That was close. At least we didn't disturb the Beedrill."

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Unfortunately, Tristan was wrong, for at that moment, the Beedrill swarm came out from behind the bush and got ready to attack.

"I think you've spoken too soon, Tristan!" exclaimed Monica. "Run for it!"

And they all turned tail and ran away from the bush as fast as their legs would carry them.

But the Beedrill swarm flew after them.

"This wouldn't be happening if you hadn't stepped on that stick, Hillary!" accused Tristan.

"But it wasn't my fault that that stupid stick decided to get under foot!" replied Hillary.

"Argue later, run now!" ordered Monica.

The Beedrill continued to chase after them.

"Those Beedrill just won't quit!" said Tristan. "I wish they'd just leave us alone already."

"It's not like we meant to disturb them," added Hillary. "We left their nest, so why are they chasing us like this?"

"Remember that this is the time of year that the Beedrill lay their eggs, so they'll attack anyone who comes even remotely close to their nest," explained Monica. "And they won't stop until...something like this happens!"

Sure enough they found themselves against a tall cliff.

"We're trapped like Rattata!" gasped Hillary.

"Now there's no place left to run!" grunted Tristan.

But then, Hillary suddenly remembered. "Wait a second! We're not helpless! We're Pokémon Trainers, right? Why are we running away from the Beedrill?"

"You're right, Hillary," replied Tristan. "There's no reason to lose hope. We have no choice. We can't back down now."

And they both turned around and got ready to face the approaching swarm.

"Get ready, Beedrill, because you're going down!" said Hillary, who was full of determination.

"What she said!" agreed Tristan.

"What are you two doing?!" gasped Monica.

_(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fit to be Tide"))_

"Cyndaquil, I choose you!" shouted Hillary as she threw a Poké Ball.

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Ready, pal?" asked Tristan to Pikachu.

Pikachu nodded and leaped in front of him as it prepared for battle.

"Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a stream of fire from its mouth at one of the Beedrill.

However, that Beedrill dodged and flew over Cyndaquil and headed straight for Tristan and Hillary.

"Guys, look out!" cried Monica.

Fortunately, Pikachu quickly aimed a Thunderbolt attack at that Beedrill, scoring a direct hit on it and scaring it away.

"Thanks, Pikachu," said Hillary. Then she turned to Tristan. "Let's team up and attack them together."

Tristan agreed.

"Cyndaquil, hit 'em with your Flamethrower!" shouted Hillary.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu and Cyndaquil leaped into action.

Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at the Beedrill swarm while Cyndaquil shot another powerful stream of fire from its mouth at them.

Both attacks combined and scored a direct hit on all the Beedrill at once.

For them, it was too much to take, facing two powerful attacks at once, so the turned tail and beat a hasty retreat back to their nest.

"Hooray!" cried Hillary.

"Good job!" commended Tristan. "That took care of them!"

Pikachu and Cyndaquil each gave each other a high-five to celebrate their victory.

"I must admit, that was really impressive," smiled Monica. "You two showed great teamwork, like a brother and sister should. It almost makes me want to become a Trainer and battle myself. I should tell my brothers and sisters about this."

Tristan and Hillary smiled. They knew that Monica was right.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi said their goodbyes to Monica.

"Those Beedrill may be territorial, but I have a feeling that they'll steer clear of you two," smiled Monica. "Especially now that they experienced that double attack."

"Thanks, Monica," replied Hillary. "It's nice of you to say that."

"And now, I have something to give the both of you." And Monica took out two special Poké Balls: A Fast Ball and a Friend Ball.

"I like the looks of that Friend Ball," said Hillary. "I think I'll take this one."

"Then I'll take the Fast Ball that's left," added Tristan.

And they both accepted Monica's gifts. "Thank you so much."

"It's my pleasure," replied Monica. "I had been instructed by Kurt in Azalea Town to give these to you, since I figured you were on your way to Azalea Town. But if you really want to see how these special Poké Balls are made, go see him in person."

"We'll do that," said Hillary.

"We were planning to go there for my Gym Battle anyway," added Tristan.

"Then it works out perfectly," smiled Monica. "Now see if you can find all of my brothers and sisters. They're located all over the Johto region. I've told them that they will be meeting you sometime in the future."

"We will! Thank you!" called Tristan and Hillary as they waved to Monica.

Pikachu and Togepi waved goodbye, also.

"Bye, guys!" called Monica. "Be careful! Good luck on the rest of your journey!"

* * *

_Our heroes continue to touch the lives of people and Pokémon alike. Now, having met their new friend Monica, and after experiencing a territorial group of Beedrill, our heroes continue their journey to Azalea Town._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	25. UNION CAVE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 25 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You may remember Union Cave from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games as well as the fact that you can catch a Lapras on Fridays, so I've decided to interpret that into this chapter. **

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary go through the mysterious Union Cave and find a Lapras that's been fatigued, but it develops a high fever, and Hillary has made it her duty to come to its rescue.**

**Chapter 25: UNION CAVE**

_(Music Cue: The Caves of Mount Moon)_

_It's already been a few short days since our heroes left Violet City, but today, they've arrived at the mysterious Union Cave: one of the many places on the way to Azalea Town._

Tristan and Hillary were checking their Pokégears as night began to fall.

"Are you sure we went the right way, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "We should've been in Azalea Town by now."

"It looks like we went the right way," replied Tristan. "But according to the Pokégear's map, we have to cross Union Cave in order to get to Azalea Town."

"Are you sure we can't just go back through some of the other towns or something?" asked Hillary.

"We've made it this far, right?" said Tristan. "I say we go through Union Cave. That way we'll know for sure we're going the right way. Once we get through it, we'll be close to Azalea Town."

Hillary didn't seem so sure. "I sure wish we had a guidebook or something."

"Me, too," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi seemed to agree with their Trainers.

Presently, they noticed the sun setting over the horizon.

"I don't think walking inside a cave is a good idea for us," said Hillary nervously. "It'll be too dark for us to see."

Tristan could see that Hillary was right.

"Why don't we set up camp for the night?" suggested Hillary. "Then we can begin our journey tomorrow."

Tristan was about to agree when he spotted a building with a letter P in the distance. "I think I may have found us something that's even better than setting up camp. Just take a look over there."

"Wow, a Pokémon Center!" said Hillary excitedly. "Now we can sleep in comfy beds instead of camping out, not that I mind camping out. This'll make things better."

"We can also ask Nurse Joy the best way to get through Union Cave," added Tristan.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Hillary as she raced ahead to the Pokémon Center.

Tristan and Pikachu happily followed.

* * *

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center," smiled Nurse Joy. "You two are out late."

"Well, we thought we'd stay here tonight before we go through Union Cave so we can get to Azalea Town," explained Tristan.

"That's a good plan," smiled Nurse Joy.

"Have you known about Union Cave, Nurse Joy?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, yes," answered Nurse Joy. "It's a simple cave with many pools of water. But there are many levels, all of which are easily accessible. And sometimes, a Lapras has been seen there."

"A Lapras?" gasped Hillary.

"That's the Pokémon that loves to ferry people across the sea on its back!" added Tristan.

Nurse Joy nodded. "But for some reason, this Lapras has never been able to find a human it can be friends with. It's quite shy, but it doesn't seem hostile, either. I don't know how long it'll be able to stay in that cave with no humans to help it out."

"All right, then I'll be the first to do it," said Hillary.

"Are you sure you're up to that?" asked Tristan.

"That Lapras needs a human as a friend," answered Hillary. "So, first thing tomorrow morning, we'll go inside Union Cave and I'll find that Lapras."

"That's the spirit, sis!" said Tristan excitedly. "You've convinced me. All right, we'd better get some sleep then."

Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

The next morning, Tristan and Hillary were enjoying a nice breakfast with their Pokémon.

Pikachu happily shared its food with Chikorita and Togepi while Venusaur and Blastoise took turns sharing theirs.

Hillary's Squirtle, Eevee, Cyndaquil, and Sentret were all happily eating their food together.

"The quicker we finish our breakfast, the quicker we can get inside Union Cave and find some Pokémon," said Hillary. "Maybe we can even find that Lapras that Nurse Joy was talking about last night." And she picked up the pace as she ate her meal.

"Whoa, take it easy, Hillary," said Tristan. "Nobody's gonna take your breakfast away from you."

But Hillary didn't listen. She just kept eating.

Tristan couldn't help but chuckle. _I guess there's no stopping her, _he thought. _Once the girl makes up her mind, there's no way to change it. She must get that from me sometimes. _"You know, I think you may be right about going inside Union Cave," he said aloud. "It'll help us go one step closer to Azalea Town."

"Great!" said Hillary. "Then let's finish up and get going!"

"Right," agreed Tristan. "But let's make sure that our Pokémon enjoy their meal, too."

As he spoke, all the Pokémon were happily chowing down on their food without a care in the world.

"I can never forget about that," laughed Hillary.

* * *

Moments later, Tristan and Hillary left the Pokémon Center and stood at the entrance to Union Cave.

"Well, this is it, sis," said Tristan. "Are you up for the challenge?"

"You bet," answered Hillary.

"Good, then let's go in," said Tristan as he and Hillary entered the cave.

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Inside, water could be heard dripping.

Tristan and Hillary stepped cautiously through.

"There are several routes through this place," said Tristan. "There must be a hundred different directions we could go."

"Well, if the currents go our way, as they say, we'll be able to find our way out," said Hillary. "But if we can find that Lapras, that would really make me happy."

Presently, they heard an echo of a tired and somewhat painful cry of a Pokémon.

"Hey, listen!" said Tristan.

Then the cry was heard again.

"I wonder what that is."

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "Whatever it is doesn't sound too happy."

The echo of that very same cry came again.

"I don't think it sounds too healthy, either," said Tristan.

"Let's check it out," said Hillary. And she dashed posthaste to the sound of the cry.

Tristan and Pikachu quickly followed.

Presently, they came to another room with a pool in it.

"I wonder what could be in there," said Hillary.

"Let's take a closer look," suggested Tristan.

And they slowly walked to the edge of the pool. But what they saw next surprised them.

At the water's edge, there was a Pokémon that resembled a plesiosaur. Its hide was blue while its underside was cream-colored. It had four flippers and a heavy gray shell.

"It's that Lapras that Nurse Joy was talking about," whispered Hillary.

"You're right," replied Tristan.

Sure enough, it was that very Lapras, and it sounded weak.

"I wonder what's wrong with it," said Hillary.

Lapras kept moaning in some sort of discomfort.

Tristan came to Lapras and felt it all over. A moment later, he said, "Lapras doesn't appear too badly injured, but I don't think it's sick. I know it's definitely not feeling well. It might just be experiencing a little fatigue."

"Fatigue? What's that supposed to mean?"

_(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

"It means that Lapras may be just tired or it maybe has a lack of energy," explained Tristan. "Maybe Lapras is just lonely, and it doesn't have any human friends to play with."

"Or maybe Lapras is hungry," suggested Hillary. "Hey, Tristan, may I share some Pokémon food with it?"

"I don't see why not," replied Tristan. He opened up his backpack and took out a bag of homemade Pokémon food. Then he gave it to Hillary.

Hillary opened the bag and took out a few pieces. "Hey, Lapras, try this. It's homemade Pokémon food, and it's really good."

But Lapras didn't feel like eating, much to Hillary's disappointment.

"I guess Lapras isn't hungry, either," said Hillary.

"It's probably another effect of fatigue," replied Tristan. "I can understand why, though. When I was sick on the Orange Islands, I didn't feel like eating anything either, remember?"

"How could I forget that?"

"I think I have another idea," said Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball. "Come on out, Chikorita."

The Friend Ball opened and Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"How's Chikorita gonna help us?" asked Hillary.

"Just watch," replied Tristan. "Chikorita, please fill this room with Sweet Scent."

Chikorita emitted a sweet smelling pink powder from the leaf on its head.

Lapras started to relax as it took deep breaths from Sweet Scent. Then it closed its eyes

"It's working, Tristan," said Hillary. "Chikorita's Sweet Scent seems to be helping Lapras get better."

Tristan nodded. "The fragrance of Sweet Scent should allow it to recover after a little bit of rest. Then, once Lapras wakes up, be sure to give it some Pokémon food."

"Right."

But just then, the sounds of wings flapping and rocky hopping could be heard from the distance.

"Something tells me we're not alone," said Tristan nervously.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

And Tristan was all too right, for the next thing he knew, several blue bat-like Pokémon with no eyes made their appearance followed by lots of gray boulder-like Pokémon with arms, and they didn't appear too friendly.

"Those are wild Zubat and Geodude!" gasped Hillary.

"They must've been attracted to Chikorita's Sweet Scent," said Tristan.

Unfortunately, one of the Geodude chose that moment to charge full-body style right into Chikorita, much to its surprise, causing it to hit the ground.

"Chikorita!" gasped Tristan.

"That was a Tackle attack!" exclaimed Hillary.

Fortunately, Chikorita managed to get back on its feet.

"We're just gonna have to battle them," said Tristan. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded as it prepared for battle.

"Hold on a second," advised Hillary. "This is a damp cave, and an Electric attack could shock Lapras, too."

Tristan could see that Hillary was right.

"But I think Squirtle can help," said Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Her Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"We can't let those Pokémon anywhere near Lapras," said Hillary.

Tristan nodded in agreement. "All right, Chikorita, get ready to battle."

Chikorita nodded in agreement as the wild Pokémon got closer.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun on the Zubat!" commanded Hillary.

"Chikorita use your Razor Leaf against the Geodude!" ordered Tristan.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the Zubat while Chikorita fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at the Geodude.

Both attacks scored direct hits, but both groups of wild Pokémon didn't seem to give up.

"Let's attack together," suggested Tristan. "Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf attack one more time!"

"Squirtle, assist Chikorita with your Water Gun!" instructed Hillary.

Once again, Chikorita fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves while Squirtle fired another blast of water from its mouth, but this time both attacks combined, and scored a direct hit on both the Zubat and Geodude.

The combined attacks were too much for them to take, and soon they beat a hasty retreat.

"Phew!" said Hillary. "They're gone."

"Boy, that was a close one," agreed Tristan. "I never realized that Chikorita's Sweet Scent could attract wild Pokémon like that."

"Well, maybe we ought to be more careful next time," suggested Hillary.

Tristan agreed with her. "Now where were we?"

"We were taking care of Lapras," answered Hillary.

"That's right," said Tristan. The excitement of battling wild Pokémon made him forget about that for a minute. "Hey, sis, why don't you and Chikorita stay and help take care of Lapras while Pikachu and I look for a way out?"

"But you can't wander in a cave all by yourself," protested Hillary.

"Don't worry," Tristan assured her. "We'll be fine. You said you wanted to be the first to be friends with Lapras. And besides, we have our Pokégears, right? One of us can call if and when anything happens."

"Okay," replied Hillary. "Just be careful."

"We will," said Tristan as he and Pikachu left Hillary, Togepi, and Chikorita behind to help take care of Lapras.

_(Music Cue: Unhinged)_

Lapras was still relaxing thanks to the lingering effects of Chikorita's Sweet Scent.

"That's good," whispered Hillary. "It seems as if Lapras is already getting better." And she took deep breaths and relaxed. "Boy, this Sweet Scent really works. I wonder if Grandma has this in one of her perfumes."

* * *

Meanwhile, deeper in the cave, Tristan and Pikachu were exploring, looking for a way to the other side.

"There has to be some way out," said Tristan as he looked around. "Usually, when caves have two entrances, there has to be one on each side. But where is the other one?"

Presently, they saw light at the end of the tunnel.

"That must be the way out," said Tristan. "I can't wait to tell Hillary." But just before he took his Pokégear out, he stopped. "Then again, maybe she should spend a little more time with that Lapras. Who knows? Maybe it likes her."

Pikachu seemed to agree.

Suddenly, Tristan got an idea. "I know! Let's put up some markers. That way, in case we get lost, they can help us find our back to where we started. Come on, Pikachu, let's go."

Pikachu eagerly followed.

And Tristan took out some red and green glow-in-the-dark arrows out of his backpack: red for the way out and green for the path they explored. First he used his red markers to point the way back to where Hillary and Lapras were. Then he went back to the exit of the cave and started to explore. "It's a good thing Grandma loved collecting these when she was a young Trainer," he said to himself.

Presently, his Pokégear rang.

Tristan quickly answered it. "This is Tristan."

"Tristan, it's Hillary!" Her voice sounded panicky.

"What's going on?"

"Lapras just developed a high fever!"

"How did that happen?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly," replied Hillary. "It came on so suddenly. It might have something to do with the fatigue Lapras has been experiencing."

"All right, listen carefully and stay calm. Do everything you can to help keep Lapras comfortable and stay right where you are. I'll be right there," said Tristan as he hung up on the Pokégear. "Come on, Pikachu, we have to hurry!" And he and Pikachu dashed to Hillary's location posthaste using the green arrows that he left at various points.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Enigma)_

Meanwhile, Hillary had just felt Lapras' forehead. It was hot to the touch.

"Don't worry, Lapras," Hillary assured it. "Nothing's gonna happen to you."

Lapras moaned weakly.

"I know what to do." And Hillary took out her canteen, which was full of water and opened it. "Here, Lapras, try drinking some of this cold water."

Lapras managed to take a few sips out of Hillary's canteen.

The water tasted different to it, but it helped bring the fever down slightly.

"That's good," said Hillary. "It seems like Lapras is already getting better after that fever. But we still need to figure out a way to keep it down." And she took out a plastic bag out of her backpack and turned to Squirtle. "Squirtle, I need you to use your Water Gun to fill this bag."

Squirtle nodded and aimed its Water Gun at the inside of the bag. Slowly the water filled the bag more and more.

"All right, good," said Hillary.

Squirtle stopped its attack as Hillary sealed the bag.

_I wish I had some ice handy,_ thought Hillary. _Maybe I'd better call Nurse Joy for more help. _And she took out her Pokégear and called the Pokémon Center just outside Union Cave.

"Hello, Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy speaking."

Hillary sighed with relief. "Yes, this is Hillary. I'm in Union Cave, and there's a Lapras that has a high fever. I gave it some water from my canteen."

"Do you have an ice pack?"

"No, I don't," answered Hillary. "But Tristan's Blastoise should be able to help me make one as soon as he gets here."

"Okay, just keep doing what you can to help keep Lapras comfortable. Have it hang on a little bit longer, and I'll be right over," said Nurse Joy.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." And Hillary pushed the button on her Pokégear and hung up.

Presently, Tristan and Pikachu arrived. "Hillary, how's Lapras?"

"Not good," answered Hillary. "But I gave it some water, and that seemed to help. However, I don't have any ice on hand to make an ice pack."

"Don't worry, leave that to me," said Tristan as he took out Blastoise's Poké Ball.

It opened and Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Hillary quickly gave the bag to him.

"Let me see," said Tristan as he opened the bag and examined it. "Good, just what we needed." He turned to his Blastoise. "Blastoise I need a gentle Ice Beam. Use it to freeze the water in the bag."

Blastoise nodded and unleashed a gentle cold beam of energy at the water in the bag.

"Perfect, Blastoise, thanks," said Tristan as he sealed the bag. Then he put the bag in Hillary's hands.

"Wow, that's cold."

_(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

"I think you should be the one to put this ice pack on," said Tristan.

"But...I..." Hillary began.

"Remember? You were the one who wanted to be friends with that Lapras."

Hillary understood what Tristan said. "Right. Thanks, Tristan. I needed that." And she took the bag, reached out, and gently put it on Lapras' forehead.

Lapras seemed to feel more comfortable and cooed. It then put its head out to Hillary and showed its affection, much to her delight.

"I think Lapras really likes you, Hillary," smiled Tristan.

Hillary gently put her hands on Lapras' face, and they embraced. "Lapras have been known to be friendly to humans. And this proves it."

Just then, Nurse Joy arrived. "I'm here now."

Tristan and Pikachu were surprised. "Nurse Joy?"

"How's Lapras?" Then she looked at Hillary and Lapras as they continued to embrace one another. She toned her voice down and was truly touched. "That's sweet. I think those two have hit it off. I'll give it these medicine tablets in a little bit, but I think those two need a little quality time together." She then turned to Tristan. "Hillary called me and told me what happened, and she did what she could. And you seemed to have helped."

"Well, thanks, Nurse Joy, but I didn't do all that much," replied Tristan.

He then thought about his own Lapras back at Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town and remembered all the wonderful times they shared together. He could never forget the time that it was having so much fun splashing in the water that he, Hillary, and Pikachu ended up soaking wet. But he also remembered all the nice rides it gave him, and was looking forward to many more as long as he was a Trainer.

He missed his friend very much and wondered how it was doing. But he remembered that Professor Oak promised to take good care of it in his absence.

* * *

That evening, Nurse Joy gave Lapras the medicine tablets, and soon, its fever began to go down.

Hillary then gave Lapras some homemade Pokémon food, which she had taken out earlier.

This time, Lapras happily accepted it, much to everyone's delight.

"That's great," said Hillary. "It looks like you got your appetite back."

"Thanks to you," replied Tristan as he put his hand on Hillary's shoulder.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"Lapras should be fine after a good night's rest," said Nurse Joy. "I think I'll head back to the Pokémon Center now. But I wouldn't be surprised if Lapras wanted to go with you after all you did to help it." And she walked away.

"Now that's what I call high praise from a nurse," remarked Tristan.

But Hillary said nothing. She just kept being there for Lapras as it showed her its affection.

"I think we should stay with Lapras tonight until we're sure it's back to full strength," suggested Hillary.

"Great idea," replied Tristan. "The only problem is how are we able to sleep inside a cave like this?"

"You forget that we've slept in the caves of Mount Moon before," said Hillary.

Tristan smiled. "You're right. Let's get some sleep."

And they got out their sleeping bags and tucked themselves in.

Tristan and Hillary had returned most of their Pokémon back to their Poké Balls earlier in the day.

However, Lapras had already fallen asleep.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

The next morning, as Tristan and Hillary roused from their sleep, Lapras woke up feeling much better. It watched over Hillary and her Togepi, making sure that they was safe in their sleep.

Hillary woke up to see Lapras carefully watching over her. "Hey, Lapras, good morning."

Lapras cooed happily as it embraced her.

Tristan and Pikachu woke up soon after.

"Looks like Lapras wanted to protect you after you helped it, sis," remarked Tristan.

"Oh, good morning, Tristan, yes, it does," replied Hillary.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan and Hillary packed their sleeping bags and were soon ready to start again.

"Well, I guess it's time to move on," said Tristan.

"We're glad you're feeling better, Lapras," said Hillary. "See you again someday."

But as they turned to leave, Lapras cried out, begging them not to go.

"What's the matter, Lapras?" asked Hillary.

Tristan somehow knew what Lapras was saying. "I think Lapras wants to come along with you."

"With me?"

"You were the one who promised to be Lapras' friend, and you kept that promise," reminded Tristan. "Plus, you were the one who helped it feel a lot better when it was sick."

Hillary walked closer to Lapras. "Is Tristan right? Do you want to come with me?"

Lapras nodded. It was excited to be with Hillary.

Hillary was so happy to hear the news, so she took out a Poké Ball and caught Lapras with it. Then she held the Poké Ball close to her. "Welcome to the team, Lapras. I'm so glad you decided to be with us."

Tristan and Pikachu proudly watched the heartwarming moment.

* * *

"Did you put these markers out here, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I did," answered Tristan. "While Pikachu and I were exploring yesterday, we thought about putting them at various points to guide us out of here. I couldn't bear to pull you away from Lapras when it wasn't feeling well."

"Thanks, Tristan," said Hillary. "That's sweet."

Presently, they saw light at the end of the tunnel. They walked toward it, and sure enough, they found themselves outside on the other side of Union Cave. They took a deep breath of fresh air as the sun rose in the sky.

"Now we're one step closer to our goal," said Tristan. "Let's go."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary as she and Tristan set off on the road.

* * *

_Having kept a promise to help an ailing Lapras and being its friend, Hillary has now added this friendly Pokémon to the family. Now, our heroes can pick up where they left off on their journey toward Azalea Town and Tristan's second Gym battle._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	26. WHEN THERE'S A 'QUIL, THERE'S A CATCH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 26 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You may recall the episode "Good 'Quil Hunting from _Pokémon: The Johto Journeys,_ right? It's where Ash encounters Koji for ownership of a Cyndaquil. Well, Koji himself makes an appearance in this chapter. This time, he takes ownership of a Cyndaquil, but technically, he doesn't capture it inside a Poké Ball. Well, this chapter may have a lot of similarities, but it's a little different than how Ash and his Cyndaquil teach Koji a lesson. Please feel free to read and review at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan finds an injured Cyndaquil, and he must separate from Hillary by going into hiding inside the cave system to treat its injuries! But when Koji challenges him to a battle, he must put Cyndaquil's strength to the test!**

**Chapter 26: WHEN THERE'S A 'QUIL, THERE'S A CATCH**

_(Music Cue: Today's Johto Pokémon Curiosity (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

_After welcoming Lapras from Union Cave to their fold, our heroes continue on the road toward Azalea Town. It's there that Tristan hopes to earn his second badge. But for now, they can't seem to find where they are._

"I thought for sure that this was the way to Azalea Town," said Tristan as he and Hillary checked their maps on their Pokégears.

"I thought so, too," agreed Hillary. "But now it looks like we ended up in some forest again."

Tristan sat down on the ground. "I wish we could eat something now."

"Ah, I knew I was forgetting something," said Hillary as she snapped her fingers. "We forgot to eat our breakfast. I was so excited about catching Lapras that I had forgotten all about it."

"How could you forget that?" said Tristan.

"Hey, you forgot, too, you know," put in Hillary.

"Forget about it," said Tristan. "Let's get started." And he took out his Poké Balls and tossed them in the air. "Come on out, everybody!"

"Good idea," replied Hillary as she tossed her Poké Balls in the air. "You guys, too!"

Tristan's Venusaur, Blastoise, and Chikorita, as well as Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Sentret, and Lapras emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

The littler Pokémon, save for Pikachu and Togepi, were shy around Hillary's Lapras.

"Relax, guys, it's okay," said Hillary. "This is my newest Pokémon, and your new teammate, Lapras." Then she turned to Lapras. "Say hi to the gang."

But Lapras looked uneasy.

"I guess Lapras must be a bit shy," said Tristan.

"Well, I really can't blame it," replied Hillary. "It's not used to being out of its environment for one thing, and for another, it doesn't have very many friends. It'll take a little time for it to warm up to everybody completely. But I know it will eventually, right, Lapras?"

Lapras nodded as Hillary gently stroked it.

"That Lapras is pretty gentle," said Tristan to himself. "I think it made the right choice choosing Hillary as its Trainer."

But just as they were about to set up breakfast, the sound of a loud, painful cry was heard in the distance.

"What was that?" asked Hillary in alarm.

"Whatever it was, I didn't like it," replied Tristan.

Just then, the loud, painful cry was heard in the distance again.

Pikachu pricked up its ears and dashed off into the forest.

"Pikachu, wait up!" called Tristan. He then turned to Hillary. "Hillary, I need you to stay behind with the other Pokémon and feed them."

"Just be careful, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will," replied Tristan. "Come on, Chikorita, let's go." And he and Chikorita dashed into the woods after Pikachu.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the woods, a small bipedal Pokémon had just collapsed on the ground. It was blue on top and cream-colored on the bottom, and had four holes on its back.

A Trainer, wearing a bluish-green shirt and a red vest was standing by a Pokémon with brown quills on its back, Sandslash, as the other Pokémon struggled desperately to try and get back on its feet. He had purple hair. "Come on, you dumb Pokémon, if that's the best you can do, then you're useless to me."

The Pokémon struggled and strained to stay with it.

"You're supposed to be a strong Pokémon that can use powerful Fire attacks, but you can't even withstand one attack yet," said the Trainer. "Go on, Sandslash, hit it with Fury Swipes."

Sandslash charged in and used its claws to attack the Pokémon, but was stopped by a flurry of razor-sharp leaves coming from the bushes."

The Trainer was surprised.

Tristan appeared with Pikachu and Chikorita and confronted the Trainer. "What's going on here?" he demanded.

"That's none of your business," replied the Trainer sternly.

Tristan then noticed the Pokémon that could barely stand. "That's a Cyndaquil, and it's hurt!" He turned and faced the Trainer. "All right, what did you do to it?"

"I was just training it to become stronger," said the Trainer.

"Well, this is no way to do it!" said Tristan angrily. "Can't you see that Cyndaquil's too tired to battle, let alone stand?"

"I don't care," replied the Trainer. "Koji's the name, and this Cyndaquil has been useless to me ever since I first caught it."

"You mean you caught this Cyndaquil?" gasped Tristan.

"The only problem is it won't get inside a Poké Ball," explained Koji. "So I used a net to capture it instead after my Sandslash weakened it."

"So technically, the Cyndaquil isn't yours yet," said Tristan.

"Then, during our training, when it had taken one little hit, it had basically given up and acted like a crybaby, so we had to wake it up," continued Koji.

"That's just wrong," said Tristan. "This Cyndaquil needs help, and if it doesn't get it fast, it'll be on your watch!"

"Who cares? I don't. It got what what it deserved. I may have missed my chance to get another Cyndaquil thanks to another kid, but this time, this Cyndaquil's gonna be trained by a real Trainer." And he smugly walked away.

His Sandslash soon followed.

Tristan felt sorry for Cyndaquil, but he couldn't help feeling upset by the way Koji had treated it.

Presently, Cyndaquil collapsed from its injuries and passed out.

Tristan quickly rushed to Cyndaquil and felt it all over. "This is bad. It appears to have taken a lot of damage." And he quickly opened his backpack and took out his first aid kit. He took out a Super Potion and sprayed it on Cyndaquil's wounds.

Pikachu and Chikorita watched anxiously as Tristan worked to make Cyndaquil comfortable.

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "You're gonna be just fine."

* * *

Meanwhile, Hillary had just finished setting breakfast up for the Pokémon. "Phew! That was harder than I thought. I can understand why Tristan works so hard to do everything." She turned to the Pokémon. "Okay, guys, it's breakfast time!"

All the Pokémon cheered in excitement as they happily dug in.

But just then, she noticed Koji walking through the woods with his Sandslash.

He passed through the woods and didn't say hello. In fact, he just gave a "Hmph!" and walked away.

"I don't like that guy's attitude," said Hillary to herself. "He reminds me so much of Silver. Boy, what I wouldn't give to spend just five minutes alone with that guy."

Presently, Hillary's Pokégear rang.

Hillary took it out of her backpack and answered it. "This is Hillary."

"Hey, sis." It was Tristan.

"Oh, hi, Tristan," said Hillary. "Did you find the source of the cry?"

"Yes, I did," answered Tristan. "It was a wild Cyndaquil, and it was going through some rough training. I'm taking care of its injuries right now."

"How could it be a wild Cyndaquil?" asked Hillary.

"Because this Trainer didn't capture with a Poké Ball," replied Tristan. "He used a net to capture it."

"Do you know the Trainer's name?"

"His name's Koji," answered Tristan.

"Koji, huh? He reminds me so much of Silver. Well, I'll leave you to it, Tristan. Good luck." And she hung up.

Unfortunately, at that moment, Koji had heard his name from the bushes and quickly rushed over to where Hillary and the Pokémon were. He was very angry. "Hey, you! Where is that kid?!"

"He's taking care of that Cyndaquil because you treated it like dirt."

"What'd you say?!" snarled Koji. And he grabbed Hillary by the shirt. "Where is he?! Tell me!"

"I don't know where he is!"

But Koji didn't care, so he pushed Hillary back down to the ground, making her wince in pain. "Come on, Sandslash, we gotta go teach that kid a lesson!" And in a twinkling, he and Sandslash disappeared back into the woods.

Hillary seethed in anger. "Boy, I hope Tristan's the one who teaches that guy a lesson he'll never forget."

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan had just finished taking care of the wild Cyndaquil's injuries. "That's good. Now what Cyndaquil needs is a good rest."

Presently, Pikachu pricked its ears up and alerted Tristan.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Suddenly, the bushes rustled.

Tristan knew who was coming. "That must be Koji, and he's probably looking for us. Quick, let's run!"

_(Music Cue: Chaos)_

And he carefully picked up Cyndaquil and motioned Pikachu and Chikorita to quickly follow him.

Koji and Sandslash popped out of the bushes just in time to see that Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita were gone. "Rats, I missed him!" He looked all around until he saw them running toward a rocky wall with many small caves. "So that's where they're headed. Come on, Sandslash!" And he and Sandslash went after Tristan.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita had made it to the rocky wall.

But just as Tristan was about to start climbing up, Koji had found him. "Aha! I knew I'd find you here. Gimme back my Cyndaquil! We still have some training to do."

"That Cyndaquil isn't yours, for one thing!" said Tristan. "And another thing, it needs rest! So there!" And he, Pikachu, and Chikorita scaled up the wall as fast as they could go.

"Sandslash, Sand-Attack now!" ordered Koji.

Quickly, Sandslash climbed up to the entrance of one of the caves where Tristan was headed, and using its hind legs, kicked up sand in Tristan's face, causing him and his Pokémon to slip and fall back down to the ground.

Koji laughed. "How was your trip, kid?"

Tristan quickly got back on his feet. "Hey, that's no fair!"

"Big deal," retorted Koji. "That Cyndaquil's mine. Sandslash, get them with your Fury Swipes!"

Pikachu and Chikorita managed to get back on their feet just as Sandslash started scaling back down the wall.

"Chikorita, Tackle attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita climbed up on the side of the rocky wall, charging at Sandslash full-body style as it went, and rammed it hard, causing it to fall back down the wall, and land right on Koji, squishing him and knocking each other out.

"Now's our chance, guys, let's go," said Tristan.

And together, he, Pikachu, and Chikorita scaled back up the rocky wall, but this time, with no interference from Sandsalsh, and ran inside one of the caves.

Koji was struggling desperately to get up from under Sandsalsh. "Come...back here!" he strained. But he collapsed from the added weight, allowing Tristan and his Pokémon to disappear inside.

* * *

The interior of the cave was like a maze of other small caves.

Tristan, who was still holding Cyndaquil, was running all over the cave system, followed by Pikachu and Chikorita. "I can't use any markers here," he said to himself. "He'll find us too easily. Our only chance is to go as deep into the tunnels and confuse him." He looked for the best tunnel to go through. When he found one, he started running again, and his Pokémon followed.

Then they went through another and still another.

After he was sure he was deep enough into the cave system, Tristan stopped and gently placed Cyndaquil down. Then he took out his sleeping bag and gently placed Cyndaquil on it. "Poor thing. Cyndaquil's been through a tough day. We need to make sure that it's gonna be okay."

Pikachu and Chikorita agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

The day quickly passed, and night soon fell, but Hillary and the Pokémon noticed that Tristan didn't return as they sat on the ground in the forest.

"I wonder where Tristan could be," said Hillary to herself. "I'm so worried about him. I haven't seen him or Pikachu all day." She suddenly got an idea. "Hey, I know, guys. Let's all camp out here tonight. That way when Tristan comes back, we can tell him all about our big sleepover outdoors. He's sure missing a great adventure." And she took out her sleeping bag, little realizing that Tristan was already in the middle of his own adventure.

The Pokémon seemed to agree with Hillary's idea.

Her Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Sentret, Eevee, and Togepi all wanted to sleep with Hillary, so they got in her sleeping bag without making too much of a hassle.

Venusaur, Blastoise, and Lapras all stayed out and made themselves comfortable.

"All right, we'll sleep tonight, and then we'll start looking for Tristan first thing tomorrow morning," said Hillary.

All the Pokémon quietly agreed as they closed their eyes and fell fast asleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the cave, Tristan got inside his sleeping bag and held Cyndaquil next to him.

Pikachu followed him into his sleeping bag, although it did seem concerned.

"Don't worry, Pikachu," Tristan assured it. "We'll get a good night's rest and Cyndaquil will be as good as new tomorrow. And if Koji has a problem with it, he can battle us."

Chikorita got on top of his sleeping bag and released a sweet scent from the leaf on its head, allowing him and Pikachu to relax.

"Thanks, Chikorita," said Tristan. "That should help. Well, good night, guys." And he and his Pokémon closed their eyes and fell fast asleep.

Cyndaquil had been asleep for most of the day already.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan was the first one up. He immediately checked up on Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil was sleeping peacefully.

Tristan smiled. He knew that Cyndaquil was getting better.

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

Presently, Cyndaquil woke up and stretched its little body. Then it yawned loudly.

"Hey, Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "How're you doing, buddy?"

Cyndaquil was a bit shy at first. It wasn't used to seeing a kind Trainer treat it with respect unlike Koji.

"It's okay, Cyndaquil. Here, try some of this." And he took out some homemade Pokémon food. "A good friend of mine taught me how to make this wonderful recipe, and I made it myself. Please, go ahead and give it a taste."

Cyndaquil sniffed the Pokémon food and took a bite. It was so happy about the taste that it ate the rest of the food Tristan offered.

"Goodness!" said Tristan. He was surprised. "You must've been hungry!" He then gave a chuckle. "At least we know your appetite's back."

Pikachu and Chikorita opened their eyes and saw Tristan with Cyndaquil. They happily dashed over to greet them.

"Hey, guys!" said Tristan. "Did you sleep well?"

Cyndaquil quickly turned around and hid its face in Tristan's arms.

"Don't be scared, Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "These are my friends, Pikachu and Chikorita.

Cyndaquil slowly turned its face around as Pikachu and Chikorita happily greeted it.

"I should give you guys something, too," said Tristan as he dug the Pokémon food out. "There you go." And he served some homemade Pokémon food to Pikachu and Chikorita, who thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cyndaquil seemed a little nervous, however.

"What's the matter, Cyndaquil?" asked Tristan. He then knew what Cyndaquil was telling him. "You're worried about meeting up with Koji again, aren't you?"

Cyndaquil nodded.

"Don't worry about a thing, Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "I promise that Koji will never hurt you ever again. Tell you what. Why don't we go over and meet up with the rest of our friends. They're really nice. Even my sister would be very pleased to meet you."

Cyndaquil nodded as Tristan put away his sleeping bag.

"Great, then let's clean up and meet up with Hillary and the rest of the gang," suggested Tristan. "I'm sure they're all worried about us by now. What do you say, guys?"

Pikachu and Chikorita agreed.

"All right, let's go."

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita managed to find a way out of the cave.

Tristan was still holding Cyndaquil in his arms, but he and the Pokémon stretched and breathed in fresh air. "What a beautiful day this is!" he said.

His Pokémon agreed as they took in the fresh air.

Suddenly, Koji appeared. "Aha! I've found you! Now, you're gonna pay for taking that Cyndaquil away from me!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that Cyndaquil isn't yours?" said Tristan. "It's clearly not interested in having you as its Trainer."

"Dream on, kid," replied Koji. "Now hand over Cyndaquil over to me...unless you wanna battle me for it!"

Tristan scoffed as Pikachu and Chikorita gasped in shock. "But I never caught this Cyndaquil, either."

However, Cyndaquil was glaring at Koji.

Tristan was surprised. He'd never seen Cyndaquil act that way. "Is something the matter, Cyndaquil?"

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Dairy Tale Ending"))_

Cyndaquil leaped out of his arms and ignited its flame from the four holes on its back.

Tristan understood what Cyndaquil wanted. "I see. You want to battle him to pay him back, don't you?"

Cyndaquil nodded as it glared at Koji.

"Fine, then, I accept your challenge, Koji, and I'll use Cyndaquil to beat you!" said Tristan.

Of course, when Koji heard that statement, he was furious. "That's it, kid! You're going down! Go, Sandslash!" And he threw his Poké Ball.

A white light shot out of the Poké Ball and Sandslash emerged from it as it prepared to battle Cyndaquil.

Presently, Hillary and the rest of the Pokémon arrived on the scene.

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "Looks like Tristan's about to battle!"

"Sandslash, get in there and use your Swift attack!" yelled Koji.

Sandslash quickly rolled into a ball and quickly spun round and round as it unleashed a barrage of white stars from its quills straight toward Cyndaquil.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" shouted Tristan.

Cyndaquil quickly jumped up and nimbly avoided Sandslash's Swift attack.

"Great dodge, Cyndaquil," commended Tristan.

Cyndaquil nodded as it landed on its feet.

"Sandslash, finish it off with Fury Swipes!" ordered Koji.

Sandslash charged at Cyndaquil using its sharp claws.

"Cyndaquil, keep dodging it!" commanded Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped back as Sandslash tried to attack it using Fury Swipes.

But no matter how hard and fast it attacked, Cyndaquil proved to be one step ahead of Sandslash's movements.

"Wow, that's fast!" gasped Hillary in amazement. "I've never seen a Cyndaquil go that fast before. I can't recall my Cyndaquil ever going that fast."

Cyndaquil continued to jump back at amazing speed as Sandslash used its claws to attack; however, Sandslash swung and missed every time.

_This Cyndaquil has proven to have a lot of stamina, _thought Tristan. _I can't wait to see what else it can do in battle. _"Keep it up, Cyndaquil! You're doing great!" He was getting more and more excited by the second as Cyndaquil kept jumping back.

Koji was getting frustrated. _Just when did that Cyndaquil get that good? There's no way it could've been able to go this fast under that kid's care!_

At that moment, Sandslash started tiring out and breathed heavily.

"Don't just stand there, Sandslash, go get the Cyndaquil!" barked Koji.

Sandslash forgot about being tired and quickly charged in.

"Now's our chance, Cyndaquil, go in for a Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil shot forward with a white line trailing behind it, and it scored a direct hit on Sandslash, sending it backward.

"Sandslash, close in on it with Slash attack!" ordered Koji.

Sandslash charged toward Cyndaquil and used its sharp claws to attack it once again.

"Cyndaquil, dodge it just like you did before!" instructed Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped into the air and dodged Sandslash's Slash attack.

"Sandslash, Poison Sting!" ordered Koji.

Snadslash rolled into a ball and quickly spun around and around as it shot white needles from its quills at Cyndaquil.

Unfortunately, Cyndaquil got battered by Sandslash's Poison Sting, and it hit the ground.

But Tristan didn't panic. "You're doing great, Cyndaquil, just hang in there!"

Cyndaquil got back on all fours and was ready to face Sandslash again.

"Sandslash, get in there and finish it up with Fury Swipes!" ordered Koji.

Sandslash furiously and repeatedly attempted to swipe Cyndaquil using its sharp claws, but Cyndaquil nimbly kept jumping back and dodged Sandslash's attack.

Tristan noticed that sweat was dropping down Sandslash's face. _It won't be long now. As long as Cyndaquil stays strong and stays one step ahead of Sandslash's attacks, we should be fine._

"Sandslash, let's use your Swift attack one more time, now!" ordered Koji.

Sandslash rolled into a ball and quickly spun around and around, launching white stars at Cyndaquil.

"Look out, Cyndaqul!" shouted Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped high into the air.

But that was the opening Koji was looking for. "Sandslash, Slash attack!"

Sandslash lunged forward and used its sharp claws to attack.

Unfortunately, Cyndaquil was in a position where it couldn't dodge, and it got struck hard by Sandslash's Slash attack, sending it flying.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Tristan.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Hillary.

Cyndaquil crashed into a nearby tree, and it slid toward the ground, but it managed to get back on its feet.

"Ha! Looks like it's over, kid!" smirked Koji.

"You're wrong about that!" replied Tristan. "This battle won't be over until Cyndaquil beats you at your own game!"

"Sandslash, finish it up with Fury Swipes!" shouted Koji.

_(Music Cue: S.S. Aqua (as heard in "The Fire-ing Squad"))_

Sandslash lunged forward and furiously used its sharp claws to attack.

"All right, Cyndaquil, it's time," said Tristan. "Hit it with your Flamethrower attack!"

Cyndaquil opened its mouth and unleashed a powerful hot stream of fire from it at Sandslash, scorching it in the process.

Koji gasped in shock as Sandslash took the direct hit.

"Incredible!" said Hillary.

As a result of Cyndaquil's powerful Flamethrower, the scorched Sandslash stood dazed and confused. Then it collapsed onto the ground from its injuries. It had been knocked out.

"Yes, we did it!" cried Tristan excitedly.

Cyndaquil stood proudly before its defeated opponent and relished in its victory.

Hillary came to Tristan. "Hey, Tristan. Good to see you."

"Likewise," replied Tristan.

Koji angrily returned Sandslash to its Poké Ball and took out his net. "That Cyndaquil belongs to me and nobody else!" And he unfolded his net and tried to capture Cyndaquil with it.

But Cyndaquil jumped back just in time.

"That's cheating!" accused Tristan.

"Yeah, didn't you learn your lesson last time you tried something like this?!" added Hillary.

"Just get out of my way or else!" yelled Koji as he lunged forward with the net again.

But Cyndaquil shot a powerful Flamethrower attack from its mouth directly at Koji, scorching him, clothes and all, just like it did his Sandslash.

Koji's net disintegrated into scorched dust, and he himself beat a hasty retreat. "I'll remember this!"

"Serves you right!" shouted Tristan.

"Yeah, and this time, don't come back!" added Hillary.

All the Pokémon cheered for Tristan after his latest victory.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Tristan gently picked up Cyndaquil as it doused the flame on its back. "Way to go," he said. "You taught him a lesson he wouldn't forget."

Cyndaquil was confused.

"That's what teamwork is," explained Tristan. "We all help each other out."

"What he said," agreed Hillary.

Cyndaquil seemed happy. It knew that it did the right thing by helping Tristan in his battle.

"Hey, Cyndaquil, do you want to come with me?" asked Tristan. "We'll have lots of fun together, and we'll train to be the best we can be. What do you say?"

Cyndaquil was delighted with the idea and embraced him.

Tristan took out his Fast Ball and caught the Cyndaquil with it.

"Wow, that's so cool, Tristan," said Hillary. "Now you have a Cyndaquil, too."

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan. Then he did a victory pose and proclaimed, "I caught a Cyndaquil!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

All the Pokémon stood proudly as Tristan celebrated his latest addition to his team.

* * *

_After helping a wild Cyndaquil, it has decided to join Tristan as his and Hillary's Pokémon family grows by one more. And now, with a powerful fiery friend on his side, he and Hillary can now continue their journey to Azalea Town, the next Gym, and the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	27. THE CASE OF THE SLOWPOKE TAILS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 27 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue to explore the Johto region. I'm basing this chapter on my experiences at the Slowpoke Well in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games, and when Team Rocket steals Slowpoke Tails for a profit. However, I will also be adding Proton, one of the four Team Rocket Executives in the HeartGold and SoulSilver version games. The story about the drought Kurt tells here will sound similar to how he tells it in the anime. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary finally arrive in Azalea Town, but Kurt gets injured while chasing Team Rocket. Now it's up to the two young Trainers to run Team Rocket out of town and save the Slowpoke!**

**Chapter 27: THE CASE OF THE SLOWPOKE TAILS**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_After catching a Cyndaquil in the forest, Tristan and Hillary have finally arrived in Azalea Town, where Tristan hopes to earn his second Gym badge so he can be one step closer to entering the Johto League. But they don't know that a tale of many tails is about to begin._

Tristan and Hillary walked across the bridge as they entered Azalea Town. It was the middle of the day, and they were itching for a break.

"I sure could use a Pokémon Center right about now," said Hillary.

"Me, too," agreed Tristan. "But at least we made it."

Presently, they saw a well and a cave.

"I wonder what this place is," said Tristan.

"Let's see," said Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

However, a smartly dressed man stopped them. "Halt! It's unsafe to go in there! Aren't I a good Samaritan?" And he laughed profusely.

"He's just lucky he hasn't died laughing," fumed Hillary.

"Forget about him," said Tristan. "Let's go and find the Gym."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed that that was a good idea.

But as they walked toward the Azalea Town Gym, they saw that another smartly dressed man was blocking the entrance to the Gym.

Tristan lost patience as he and Hillary approached. "Excuse me, I need to get past you! I have a Gym battle here, and I have a right to challenge the Gym Leader!"

"I guess we can't challenge the Gym, either," said Hillary.

"No," replied the man. "I can't allow you to challenge the Gym, either. But I can offer you something else instead."

Tristan became suspicious. "What did you have in mind?"

"I have just the deal for you," smiled the man. And he took out a fried tail with a white tip at the end. "How would you like a nice, juicy, and delicious Slowpoke Tail? It'll cost you a million dollars. What do you say?"

Tristan's mouth started watering at first. "That looks yummy."

But Hillary quickly knocked him back to his senses. "You must be crazy!" she exclaimed to the man. "We can't accept that! Come on, Tristan, let's get out of here!" And she dragged him by the arm. "Offering Slowpoke Tails as food? Gross!"

The man became slightly irritated. "Fine! Then starve! See if I care!"

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan and Hillary came to an old-fashioned house.

"I wonder if this is where Kurt lives," said Tristan.

"Maybe," replied Hillary. "Let's find out." And she rang the bell.

An elderly man with long, white hair opened the door. "Ah, welcome to Azalea Town. Who are you?"

"My name's Tristan, and this is Pikachu," said Tristan.

"And my name's Hillary," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted the man warmly.

"My name's Kurt, the Poké Ball expert," said Kurt.

"Nurse Joy in Violet City told us a lot about you, and how you make Poké Balls from Apricorns," explained Tristan.

"Ah, it's nice to hear that she's doing well," smiled Kurt. "But enough of that. Please come in." And he led them inside the house and introduced them to a little girl with mahogany hair tied up in two pigtails. "This is my granddaughter, Maizie." Then he introduced Maizie to Tristan and Hillary.

"Hi, guys," said Maizie.

"It's nice to meet you, Maizie," said Hillary.

Tristan agreed.

Maizie saw Pikachu on Tristan's shoulder. "Oh, what a cute little Pikachu! May I hold it?"

"Sure, Maizie, as long as you're gentle," replied Tristan.

Maizie gently picked up Pikachu and held it in her arms. "You're so cute."

Pikachu smiled. It took a liking to Maizie instantly.

"Did you know that Slowpoke are popular in this town?" asked Kurt.

Tristan and Hillary shook their heads.

"I'll explain why they're so popular," said Kurt as he told the story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Messenger)_

"A long time ago...almost 400 years to be exact, there was a drought in Azalea Town. Day after day, week after week, the sun beat down without a drop of rain. Soon, all the fields started drying up and the crops started dying. The situation seemed hopeless.

"Then one day, out of nowhere, a Slowpoke appeared. The people looked up and the Slowpoke gave a great big yawn."

"Sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!"

"And as soon as that Slowpoke yawned, the skies clouded over and the heavens opened up. The crops came back to life, the town was saved, and the people rejoiced.

* * *

"Ever since that day, the townspeople have treated all the Slowpoke here with honor and great respect," explained Kurt.

"That explains why they're so popular here," said Tristan. But then he noticed that Maizie was concerned about something. "Is something the matter, Maizie?"

"As a matter of fact, there is," answered Maizie. "All the town's Slowpoke have mysteriously disappeared. I don't know what happened to them."

Tristan and Hillary gasped in surprise.

"How can that be?" asked Hillary.

"For some unknown reason, the Slowpoke have been disappearing one by one without a trace," explained Kurt. "By the way, have you heard of the evil organization called Team Rocket?"

Tristan and Hillary were shocked. That name sounded familiar to them.

"We've heard of them," said Hillary.

"Yeah, we've battled them many times before in the past," added Tristan. "They've always been up to no good."

"Well, it seems like they're starting to make a comeback here in the Johto region, and they're starting here in Azalea Town," explained Kurt. "Team Rocket, as you know, is an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their evil purposes, and I've just received word that they're at the Slowpoke Well, cutting off Slowpoke Tails for sale to use as food!"

"The Slowpoke Well?" gasped Tristan. "But that's where we saw that well and the cave right?"

"And those men we saw!" added Hillary. "They must be part of Team Rocket, too! And that other guy was selling them for food!"

"That's correct," replied Kurt.

Tristan got upset. "I can't believe that those two tried to trick us!"

"I'm going over there to give those troublemakers a lesson in pain!" said Kurt. "Hold on, Slowpoke! Old Kurt is on his way!"

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "A Farfetch'd Tale"))_

And before anyone could stop him, Kurt dashed out of the house straight toward the Slowpoke Well.

"Grandpa, wait!" cried Maizie. "You shouldn't be going out there!"

But it was too late, for Kurt had already disappeared out of the house and out of sight.

"I'm so worried about Grandpa," said Maizie. "His back has been bothering him lately, and he doesn't get around as well as he used to. I'm just afraid he's gonna hurt himself even more."

"Don't worry, Maizie," said Tristan. "Hillary and I will go to the Slowpoke Well and help him out, right?"

"Right, Tristan, let's hurry!" agreed Hillary as she and Tristan both raced out of the house after Kurt.

"Good luck," said Maizie to herself.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kurt was running through the streets of Azalea Town in the hopes of reaching the Slowpoke Well. _I have to save the Slowpoke, _he thought. _There's no telling what those Team Rocket guys could've done to them. _And he raced on. Presently, he saw the smartly dressed man at the entrance to the Slowpoke Well. "Hey, you, man in black!" he shouted.

The smartly dressed man was given such a fright that his suit fell off, and sure enough, a black uniform was revealed. It had a red letter "R" on it.

"So you're part of that Team Rocket I've heard so much about," said Kurt.

But the man started running away and into the well.

"You get back here, you coward!" shouted Kurt as he raced into the Slowpoke Well.

The Team Rocket Grunt had run deeper inside the damp cave, but unfortunately for him, he didn't see a huge step ahead of him. As a result, he tumbled down, down, down onto the cave floor, where he lay in a heap.

Kurt saw him roll on. "Serves you right for treating all the Slowpoke like dirt!" said Kurt. But unfortunately, he, too, didn't see the huge step, and he tumbled down to the cave floor, but not as far as the Rocket Grunt did, and landed on his back, injuring it in the process.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary heard the thumps just as they reached the entrance of the Slowpoke Well.

"I wonder if that was Kurt," said Tristan.

"Come on, we'd better check up on him," replied Hillary.

And they raced inside the cave as fast as they could. But when they got inside, they saw Kurt lying on the ground, injured. They quickly rushed over to him.

"Kurt, are you okay?" asked Hillary worriedly.

Tristan felt Kurt all over. "It feels like he's thrown his back out."

"Poor guy," said Hillary.

Kurt tried to get up.

"Please, Kurt, stay down!" implored Tristan. "You don't have the strength to chase them."

Kurt reluctantly agreed. "It appears I have no choice. You must go after them at once."

"But how can we do that?" asked Hillary.

"That guard took off running when I shouted at him," explained Kurt. "But I took a tumble and landed hard on my back. It's been bothering me occasionally ever since my last experience in the Slowpoke Well with three other people from Team Rocket a few months ago. But if I were more fit, I could take care of them myself. I need you two to show them how gutsy you are in my place."

"Don't worry, Kurt, we're on the job," said Tristan.

"Yeah, we'll show them that it's wrong to use those Slowpoke to make a quick buck," added Hillary. "Come on, Tristan, let's take care of them." And she and Tristan ran deeper into the cave.

"Good luck," said Kurt as he watched them go.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi went deeper into the cave a few moments later. Presently, they came to a sign.

"I wonder what this sign says," said Hillary.

Tristan went closer to the sign so he could read it. "Welcome to the Slowpoke Well: Also known as 'Rainmaker's Rest.' According to local folklore, it is believed that the Slowpoke who come here have the power to bring rain in times of drought...by yawning."

"That's incredible!" gasped Hillary. "It's like in the story Kurt told us. But what does this have to do with all the Slowpoke Tails that Team Rocket is trying to sell?"

"That's a good question, Hillary," replied Tristan. "If only I knew what those guys were up to. Then maybe we can find out the answer to that question."

Just then, they heard a voice. "Rats! I was standing guard at the entrance when some old coot yelled at me and spoiled my plans. I took a huge tumble down here. And now, I think I'll take my anger out...on you two!"

Tristan and Hillary quickly turned around to see three Team Rocket Grunts coming toward them. Two of them were male while the other was female.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival's Theme)_

"It's that guy we saw!" said Hillary. "Along with two others!"

"Yeah, I should've known it was Team Rocket!" added Tristan.

"Go, Rattata!" shouted the first Rocket Grunt as he threw two Poké Balls.

"Zubat and Rattata, go get them!" added the second and third Rocket Grunts as they threw theirs.

Two purple rat-like Pokémon with curvy tails emerged from the white lights that shot out of them, followed by two more purple ratlike Pokémon and blue bat-like Pokémon.

"Obviously, they don't know the meaning of playing fair," said Tristan.

"All right, kiddies, here's the deal," said the first Rocket Grunt. "If you want to advance further into the well to find our executive commander, then you're gonna have to beat all six of our Pokémon."

"You three are on!" replied Hillary. "Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Sentret, go!" She threw her three Poké Balls.

Her Squirtle, Cyndaquil, and Sentret emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Are you ready, pal?" asked Tristan to Pikachu.

Pikachu nodded and eagerly jumped in front of him, ready to battle with sparks sizzling from its cheeks.

"Chikorita, Cyndaquil, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Friend Ball and Fast Ball, respectively.

His Chikorita and Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Well, it's six-on-six," said Hillary. "That should even the score. Let's win fast, then we'll find their executive."

"Right," agreed Tristan.

"You two will change your tune once we defeat you," said the first Rocket Grunt. "Rattata, use Tackle attack!"

"Rattata, use your Tackle attacks, too!" commanded the second and third Rocket Grunts.

All four Rattata charged full-body style toward Tristan and Hillary's team.

"Sentret, Cyndaquil, Squirtle, fight back with your Tackle attacks!" instructed Hillary.

Sentret, Cyndaquil, and Squirtle all charged full-body style at three of the Rattata, scoring direct hits on them.

However, the fourth Rattata kept on charging ahead at Tristan and Hillary's lineup.

"Look out!" cried Hillary.

"You know what to do, Chikorita!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita charged at the fourth Rattata and successfully sent it backward.

"Thanks, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Anytime, sis," replied Tristan.

"Zubat, use Leech Life!" ordered the second and third Rocket Grunts.

Both Zubat flew in for the attack as their fangs glowed brightly.

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other and commanded, "Cyndaquil, use double Flamethrower!"

Both Tristan and Hillary's Cyndaquil ignited the flames on their backs and shot powerful streams of fire at both Zubat, scoring direct hits in the process.

"Now that was smoking," remarked Hillary.

"Come on, you useless Pokémon, get up!" yelled the second and third Rocket Grunts.

Both Zubat struggled and got back into the air.

Then both the second and third Rocket Grunts angrily turned toward the first Grunt and shouted. "Don't just stand there, you moron! Help us!"

"Right," replied the first Rocket Grunt.

Then all three shouted, "ATTACK THEM TOGETHER!"

All six of the Rocket Grunts' Pokémon charged in for the attack.

However, Tristan was ready. "Okay, Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!"

Pikachu jumped and unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at all six of the Rocket Grunts' Pokémon, scoring clean hits on them simultaneously.

"Aaah! Our Pokémon!" cried the Rocket Grunts

All six of the Rocket Grunts' Pokémon collapsed in a heap. They had been knocked out.

"ARRGH!" fumed the Rocket Grunts. "This is not our day!" And they returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls. "Just wait till our executive hears about this!" And they ran deeper into the well to warn their executive commander.

"Come on, let's go after them, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Right," agreed Tristan.

Tristan and Hillary quickly returned all of their Pokémon back into their balls except for Pikachu and Togepi. Then they ran after the Rocket Grunts.

* * *

Meanwhile, deeper in the cave, another man in a Team Rocket uniform was waiting for any new information from his three Grunts. He had blue hair, and he was with two Slowpoke. Their tails had already been taken off.

The Slowpoke looked very sad.

"Oh, quit your bellyaching," said the man. "Your tails will grow back."

"Master Proton!" The voice of the three Rocket Grunts could be heard as they themselves into the room.

The man named Proton turned around to see them approaching him. "You fools! You were supposed to keep the intruders out!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're the one's who are intruding on the Slowpoke's home!" Hillary's voice could be heard as she, Tristan, and Pikachu came into the room.

"Oh, rats! Those kids!" snarled the three Rocket Grunts.

Proton saw Tristan and Hillary. "Well, what do we have here? Unwanted guests. Or should I say 'pests?'"

"And who are you?" demanded Tristan.

"He must be part of Team Rocket, too!" said Hillary disdainfully.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in the Japanese version of "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

"You're so right, Missy," smirked Proton. "I am one of four Team Rocket Executives in the Johto region. My name's Proton. And your name's toast. My goal is to use these Slowpoke to cut their tails off, cook them, and then sell them...for a price."

"Oh, yeah? Well, we're gonna see to it that your plan ends here and now!" said Tristan defiantly.

"You senseless dolts!" snarled Proton. "How dare you talk to me that way! Now I'm gonna teach you both a lesson! Go, Zubat and Koffing!" He threw two Poké Balls.

A purple spherical Pokémon with holes along with a Zubat emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"So that's how you want it?" said Hillary. "I choose Cyndaquil and Sentret!" And she threw her two Poké Balls.

Her Cyndaquil and Sentret emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" asked Tristan.

"I've never been more sure than I am now," answered Hillary. "Those guys need to go, and I'll be sure to send them packing. Let's get him, guys!"

Cyndaquil and Sentret charged into battle.

"Koffing, Tackle attack. Zubat, use your Leech Life attack," instructed Proton.

Koffing and Zubat flew in and charged at Cyndaquil and Sentret.

"Sentret, use your Tackle!" ordered Hillary.

Sentret charged right at Koffing.

"Now switch!" said Proton.

Koffing and Zubat switched places, leaving Sentret confused about who to attack.

"Now, Zubat!" instructed Proton.

Zubat's fangs glowed brightly, and it bit down on Sentret hard.

"No, Sentret!" cried Hillary. "Cyndaquil, you've gotta help Sentret out, so use your Quick Attack!"

Cyndaquil shot forward with a white line trailing behind it.

"I don't think so, girly-girl," said Proton. "Koffing, Poison Gas!"

Koffing spewed dark green clouds of poisonous gas from the holes on its body.

The poisonous gas enveloped Cyndaquil, who struggled to breathe.

"Careful, sis," Tristan warned. "Koffing's Poison Gas attack will poison your Pokémon if it hits."

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil!" encouraged Hillary.

But Cyndaquil had already felt the effects of Koffing's Poison Gas, and soon, its face was all purple.

"Now, Supersonic attack!" commanded Proton.

Zubat let go of Sentret and unleashed small gray circles from its mouth at both it and Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil and Sentret both had dazed expressions in their eyes.

"Cyndaqil! Sentret!" cried Hillary. "Are you okay?!"

Cyndaquil and Sentret started attacking themselves, and soon, they started attacking each other.

"Hey, guys! Snap out of it!" shouted Hillary.

"This must've been Proton's strategy all along," said Tristan. "He wanted Cyndaquil and Sentret to team up against each other so he'd have an easier time finishing them off. And Cyndaquil's poison problem isn't making things any better."

"Time for a double attack," said Proton. "Koffing, use Tackle attack! Zubat, use your Leech Life!"

Both Zubat and Koffing charged in for the attack, but this time, they charged straight toward Hillary, who gasped in fear.

"Hillary, watch out!" cried Tristan.

At that very moment, as Hillary braced herself, Cyndaquil and Sentret snapped out of their confusion and saw their Trainer in danger, so they charged at the two attacking Pokémon with white lines both trailing behind them, and knocked them out of the way just in time.

_(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (version 1 (as heard in "Snubbull Snobbery")))_

"Impossible!" gasped Proton.

Tristan was surprised at Sentret's new strength. "Sentret must've learned a new attack. And that was Quick Attack!"

Hillary was touched by Cyndaquil and Sentret's bravery. "Cyndaquil, Sentret, thank you."

Cyndaquil and Sentret nodded.

Then Hillary glared at Proton. "You're gonna regret trying to attack me directly! All right, Cyndaquil, use Flame Wheel!"

Cyndaquil rolled into a fiery ball and quickly rolled toward Proton's two Pokémon, scoring direct hits on both of them.

"Aah! Zubat! Koffing!" cried Proton.

"Finish them off, Sentret!" shouted Hillary. "Quick Attack now!"

Sentret streaked toward the two defenseless Pokémon with a white line trailing behind it and scored a direct hit on them, sending them flying past Proton.

Zubat and Koffing crashed into the ground and were knocked out.

"Hmph!" grumbled Proton as he returned Zubat and Koffing to their Poké Balls. "You did okay, kid, but wait until next time! All right, we'll leave the Slowpoke alone, but I advise you to be very afraid of what's to come in the future." He turned to the three Rocket Grunts. "All right, let's move out!"

"Yes, sir!" replied the three Rocket Grunts as they and Proton ran out of the cave and out of sight.

"Well, we won't see them for awhile," said Tristan.

At that moment, Cyndaquil collapsed on the ground while still trying to endure the poison.

"Cyndaquil, hang in there, buddy!" gasped Hillary as she gently cradled Cyndaquil in her arms.

"Let's get Cyndaquil and Kurt out of here," suggested Tristan.

Hillary agreed. But as she spoke, a voice said, "Well, that was something to see."

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

"Kurt!" gasped Tristan and Hillary together. They were pleasantly surprised to see Kurt walking again.

"My back was feeling better, so I decided to check up," explained Kurt. "It looks like Team Rocket has taken off thanks to you two." He then saw the poisoned Cyndaquil. "Now let's see if we can get that little Cyndaquil taken care of first." And he took out a yellow spray bottle and sprayed it on Cyndaquil.

"That looks like one of the bottles I carry around," said Tristan.

Kurt nodded. "It's an Antidote, and it should rid Cyndaquil of the poison in its body."

Cyndaquil's purple coloring on its face disappeared in a matter of seconds, and in no time, it was back to its old self, much to Hillary's delight.

"Wow, this Antidote really worked!" said Hillary. "Thank you so much, Kurt!"

"Think nothing of it," replied Kurt. "You two are the ones that deserve all the thanks. It's because of you that Team Rocket has run out of Azalea Town. It was the least I could do."

"But what about the Slowpoke?" asked Tristan. "We can't just leave them like this."

"Not to worry," said Kurt. "The tails on these Slowpoke grow back rather quickly, so they'll be just fine."

"That's good to hear," said Hillary.

Presently, they saw the Slowpoke slowly walking out of the cave.

"I guess the Slowpoke have decided to come back to Azalea Town, huh?" said Tristan.

Kurt nodded. "What do you say we follow the Slowpoke out of here?"

And they did.

* * *

The townsfolk were relieved to see the Slowpoke uninjured, but they were surprised at not seeing the tails on them; however, Kurt explained it to the townsfolk, and they soon understood.

* * *

Later at the Azalea Town Pokémon Center, Tristan and Hillary were talking with Maizie on the video phone.

"Grandpa's feeling much better now," said Maizie. "He says he'll be much more careful from now on, especially since he has Apricorn Poké Balls to make for Trainers who give the Apricorns to him."

"That's great, Maizie," replied Hillary.

"We were just glad that we could help," added Tristan.

"How would you like to go Apricorn picking tomorrow?" asked Maizie. "I can give you some tips on how to do it."

"We'd like that, Maizie," answered Hillary. She turned to Tristan. "Want to, Tristan?"

"Sure, it's okay with me," replied Tristan. "It'll give me some time to figure out what the Gym Leader's Pokémon are like. And I can plan a strategy."

"Sounds like a plan," said Maizie. "I'll see you in the morning!"

The video screen turned off.

"I can't wait to get those Apricorns," said Tristan.

"Me, too," agreed Hillary. "Let's go eat, guys!"

"Yeah!" said Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly agreed.

And together, they all went into the Pokémon Center's cafeteria for dinner.

* * *

_Thanks to our heroes, Team Rocket's on the run once again. Now they can look forward to picking Apricorns with Maizie, and after that, it'll be time for Tristan's second Johto League Gym match._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	28. THE APRICORN QUEST

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 28 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey in the Johto region. I decided to base this chapter from the episode "Going Apricorn," but there are differences here, so don't worry. Anyway, feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary spend the day picking Apricorns with Kurt's granddaughter, Maizie. But picking them is no easy task with a few obstacles, including Beedrill, Diglett, and the explosive Pineco!**

**Chapter 28: THE APRICORN QUEST**

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Center M77B 1997-1998)_

_Today, our heroes are up bright and early as they prepare for a brand new day in Azalea Town. They plan to go with Kurt's granddaughter, Maizie, to collect some Apricorns._

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu stretched their legs as they walked out of the cafeteria and into the lobby in the Pokémon Center the next morning.

"That was a good breakfast," said Hillary.

"You said it, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "And now we'll have plenty of energy to collect all the Apricorns we need."

"And after we do, we'll be able to get them to Kurt so he can make some Poké Balls," added Hillary.

"Now we just have to wait for Maizie to show up," said Tristan. "Then we'll have a great time collecting those Apricorns."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

Presently, Maizie entered into the Pokémon Center. "Good morning, guys. Hi, Pikachu."

"Good morning, Maizie," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Well, are you ready to go?" asked Maizie.

"You bet we are," answered Hillary.

"This is gonna be fun," agreed Tristan.

Maizie grinned. She knew that Tristan and Hillary were excited. "Okay, let's get going." And she led them out of the Pokémon Center.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and Maizie arrived at Kurt's house.

Maizie opened the door. "I'm back, Grandpa!" she called.

"And I see you've brought company," smiled Kurt.

"Good morning, Kurt," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Good morning, kids," replied Kurt. "Sleep well?"

Tristan and Hillary nodded.

"Hey, Tristan, why don't we give Professor Oak a call?" suggested Hillary.

"Great idea," replied Tristan.

Kurt seemed to agree. "That sounds like a good plan. Professor Oak and I have been friends for a long time. I've been meaning to give him a call one of these days anyway."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

"Ah, so you're in Azalea Town, eh?" smiled Professor Oak on the video phone. "I was wondering when you'd get there. So how's that Lugia doing?"

"It's doing much better, Professor," answered Tristan. "It even grew up to be big and strong in just two days' time! And I even got a Silver Wing!"

"Fascinating!" said Professor Oak. "That's something that I've never witnessed before. What wonderful news! I'm so pleased to hear that your Lugia friend is doing well."

Just then, Kurt came up to the video phone. "Hello, Samuel! It's been awhile."

"Ah, Kurt, my old friend," smiled Professor Oak. "I was wondering when you'd finally call."

"I've been kind of busy with other things, including trying to study the G.S. Ball," explained Kurt. "Of course, Team Rocket interfering at the Slowpoke Well didn't help much. Luckily, Tristan and Hillary came at the right time to drive them out of town."

"Well, if you come up with anything new with the G.S. Ball, please let me know," said Professor Oak. He then turned his attention back to Tristan and Hillary. "As you've probably heard, kids, Kurt is an expert craftsman who makes custom Poké Balls from Apricorns. Just take a look outside."

Sure enough there were fruits that looked like Poké Balls on the tree just outside Kurt's window.

"These fruits are native to the Johto region," explained Professor Oak. Seven different kinds of Apricorns grow on the trees there. Maizie, Kurt's granddaughter, should be able to help you pick the ones that are ready to be picked."

"Don't worry, Professor Oak," smiled Maizie. "You can count on me."

"Well, I wish you two success on your Apricorn quest," said Professor Oak. "Now go out there and pick as many Apricorns as you need."

"Yes, Professor Oak," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement as the video screen turned off.

"Well, I suppose I should get to work now," said Kurt. "If you find Apricorns for me, I'll be sure to make them into Poké Balls for you."

"We're ready, Kurt," said Tristan and Hillary together.

* * *

A few hours later, Maizie led Tristan and Hillary to the mountains near Azalea Town. "There are seven different colored Apricorn trees all over Azalea Town. You've seen the White Apricorn Tree, but we'll get there last. The other colors are Pink, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Black Apricorns, which are used for making different kinds of Poké Balls." She then pointed to another tree. "This tree has Apricorns, too."

_Music Cue: Today's Johto Pokémon Curiosity (as heard at the beginning of "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

Sure enough, that tree had Apricorns, but the fruits were pink instead of white.

"That's just like the tree outside Kurt's house," said Hillary.

Maizie nodded. "This tree has Pink Apricorns. These ones are used for making Love Balls. They work well on Pokémon that have the opposite gender as yours."

"I just love picking them!" said Tristan as he ran to the tree. "This should be easy!"

But Maizie stopped him. "Before you pick some, I should give you some pointers first."

"I knew this was too easy," muttered Tristan.

"You should never pick an Apricorn that isn't ripe yet, nor should you pick too many at once," explained Maizie. "Doing so will damage the trees, and there will be no Apricorns left to grow on it."

"Good advice, Maizie," replied Hillary. "We'll remember that."

"Are these Apricorns ready, Maizie?" asked Tristan.

"Don't worry," smiled Maizie. "These Apricorns are perfectly ripe. And they're hard, which means they're ready to be picked. But try and pick only one for yourself."

Tristan and Hillary carefully picked a Pink Apricorn for themselves.

Tristan took a close look at his. Then he felt it. It felt very hard. "So this is what an Apricorn looks and feels like," he said.

"I never thought a Poké Ball could come from this piece of fruit," remarked Hillary.

"Come on, guys, I want to show you some more Apricorns!" said Maizie. And she led Tristan and Hillary further into the mountains.

* * *

Maizie led Tristan and Hillary to another tree. "This tree has Yellow Apricorns, which are used to make Moon Balls."

"And what Pokémon do they work best for, Maizie?" asked Hillary.

"These balls work on Pokémon that can evolve by use of the Moon Stone."

"Like Clefairy?" asked Tristan.

Maizie nodded. "The left side of the tree has Apricorns that aren't quite ripe yet, but the right side should be ready, so please go ahead and pick one each."

"Thanks, Maizie," said Tristan as he and Hillary came to the right side of the tree and picked a Yellow Apricorn. But just as they were about to put their Apricorns inside their backpacks, a blue-green Pokémon resembling a pinecone appeared as it hung from the tree.

"Guys, look out!" cried Maizie.

But it was too late, for the Pokémon lit up in a blue aura, and...

_BOOM!_

When the smoke cleared, Tristan and Hillary were left mostly unhurt, but were left stunned by what the Pokémon had just done to them.

Maizie gasped and quickly rushed over to them. "Are you guys okay?"

"Just a little shaken," answered Tristan. "And a little well-done."

"What was that thing?" asked Hillary.

"That was a Pineco," explained Maizie. "I should've warned you about that one."

Tristan took out his Pokédex and looked up Pineco's entry.

_"Pineco, the Bagworm Pokémon. Appears calm as it hangs sedately from tree branches, but it will Self-Destruct at the slightest provocation."_

"That sounds a little scary to me," said Tristan nervously. "It's like a grenade."

"Oh, darn! I just did my hair!" complained Hillary. "And the day was going so well, too."

"Don't worry, Hillary," said Maizie. "There's a spring over there where you and Tristan can wash up."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

At the stream, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu and Togepi were busily washing themselves.

Tristan and Hillary put on another set of clothes like the ones they had and washed their other set in the stream, ridding them of all the soot from Pineco's Self-Destruct. Then they hung that set to dry.

"I'm really sorry about not telling you about the Pineco earlier," said Maizie.

"Don't worry about it, Maizie," replied Tristan. "We've been picking Apricorns, and we're having a blast."

Hillary grimaced at Tristan's joke. "That was bad, Tristan."

"Besides, I think it was trying to tell us to take a break anyway," added Tristan.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," said Maizie. "Let's have some lunch while we wait for your clothes to dry." Presently, she noticed a nearby picnic table. "We can sit over there."

Tristan took out the Pokémon food and bowls out of his backpack. "Hillary, could you help me set the food out, please?"

"I'm at your service," smiled Hillary as she took the bowls and Pokémon food from Tristan and set them out near the table.

Next, Tristan took out some fresh sandwiches out of his backpack and put them on the table.

"Wow, Tristan, these look good," said Maizie.

"I had Nurse Joy help me with them this morning while we were at the Pokémon Center," explained Tristan. "She figured that I would be picking Apricorns with you, so she decided to help out with the sandwich makings."

"I wonder if Grandma had anything to do with the sandwiches," said Hillary.

"All right, guys, it's lunch time!" said Tristan as he took out his Poké Balls and tossed them in the air.

"You heard him, guys! It's time to eat!" added Hillary as she tossed hers in the air.

Tristan's Venusaur, Blastoise, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil, as well as Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Sentret, Eevee, and Lapras emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

Pikachu and Togepi happily joined them for lunch.

"That's a great collection of Pokémon you guys put together," smiled Maizie.

"Thanks, Maizie," replied Hillary. She turned to the Pokémon. "Okay, guys, dig in."

And the Pokémon happily started eating their meal.

Presently, Tristan's Cyndaquil came over to Hillary's Cyndaquil and they happily greeted each other and ate together.

"Hey, look, sis," said Tristan. "It looks like our Cyndaquil are good friends already."

"You're right, Tristan," said Hillary. "Those two must have a lot in common being Fire-types, let alone Cyndaquil."

"This lunch should give us some more energy to pick more Apricorns," said Maizie.

"Right," agreed Tristan. "And as soon as lunch is over, we'll do just that. Maizie, are there any more obstacles that you're aware of we should watch out for?"

"I know there was a Beedrill nest near the Green Apricorn Tree when Ash, Brock, and Misty were here," replied Maizie. "But I think those Beedrill may have moved on."

"I assume that's our next stop, right?" asked Hillary.

Maizie nodded. "You've got Pokémon that'll scare them away, so we shouldn't worry."

"Yeah, Beedrill or no Beedrill, I say we collect some more Apricorns after lunch!" said Tristan excitedly. And he, Hillary, and Maizie started eating their sandwiches.

* * *

After Tristan and Hillary cleaned up the picnic table and gathered their clean clothes, they once again set off with Maizie to collect more Apricorns.

"I wonder what kind of Apricorns we'll see next," said Hillary.

"Who knows?" replied Tristan.

"I do!" said Maizie excitedly. "Right over there!" And she pointed to some Apricorn Trees in a nearby grove. "These trees have Green Apricorns. They're used for making Friend Balls. They work well on Pokémon, and they become more friendly to you."

"Like the one I have?" asked Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball.

"That's right," said Maizie. "These Green Apricorns are ripe, and should be ready."

Tristan put away his Friend Ball and he and Hillary got to the tree to pick the Green Apricorns.

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

But suddenly, a swarm of bipedal wasp Pokémon buzzed toward them and immediately flew after them.

"Wild Beedrill! Run for it!" cried Tristan. And he and the others ran as fast as their legs would carry them.

"I thought you said those Beedrill moved on, Maizie!" yelled Hillary.

"I said 'may have,' not 'did!'"

"Less arguing, more running!" shouted Tristan.

They ran so fast that they didn't see a ledge, and they fell right over it.

The Beedrill, losing track of Tristan and his friends, flew on without attacking them.

Tristan and his friends lay in a heap, but fortunately, they didn't fall too far, so they were mostly unhurt.

"Wow, that was close," said Tristan as he and Pikachu managed to pick themselves up. He then helped Hillary and Maizie back onto their feet. "Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," said Hillary.

"Yeah, now that the Beedrill are gone, we can pick those Green Apricorns," added Maizie.

Tristan and Hillary picked one Green Apricorn each and quickly ran over to Maizie.

"Let's go and find some more Apricorns before the Beedrill return," advised Maizie. And she quickly led Tristan and Hillary away from the grove.

* * *

A few moments later, they came to another tree.

"These are Red Apricorns, which are used for making Level Balls," explained Maizie. "These ones are ready, so you can pick some if you want."

"All right, let's go!" said Tristan as he and Hillary made their way to the Red Apricorn Tree.

_(Music Cue: Mysterious Person)_

But suddenly, brown Pokémon with beady eyes and large, round, pink noses popped out of the ground in front of their feet, causing them to stop in their tracks.

"Those are Diglett!" said Hillary as she took out her Pokédex and scanned them.

_"Diglett, the Mole Pokémon. Diglett love to create underground tunnel systems."_

"That's an understatement," remarked Tristan.

"Hmm, look like there's more information in here," said Hillary as she continued to scan Diglett with her Pokédex.

_"Its head pops out exactly eight inches above the ground, though its actual size remains a mystery to this day."_

"Those Diglett watch over the Apricorn Trees here in the mountains," explained Maizie. "That's because if the trees get hurt, the forest'll be ruined, and if the forest gets ruined, the mountains do too, and if the mountains get ruined, then none of the Pokémon around here will have a place to live."

"So I guess the Apricorn Trees and the Pokémon rely on each other, right?" said Hillary.

"That's right," replied Maizie. "Like symbiosis."

"Symbi-what?" said Tristan. "Is that like a new Pokémon?"

"No, silly," chuckled Hillary. "That means the Pokémon and the Apricorn Trees live in cooperation and harmony."

"Those Diglett know that you two aren't here to hurt the trees," said Maizie. "So go ahead and pick those Apricorns. They should be ripe enough and ready."

Tristan and Hillary carefully made their way to the Red Apricorn Tree, although it wasn't very easy to get there without stepping on the Diglett. But soon, they got their Apricorns and carefully made their way back to Maizie.

"I thought those Diglett were going to turn themselves into stepping stones, but I'm glad they're all right," said Tristan.

"You said it," agreed Hillary.

"Come on, let's go and gather some more Apricorns," said Maizie as she led Tristan and Hillary away from the tree.

* * *

A few moments later, they arrived at another grove of Apricorn Trees.

"Those trees in this grove are full of Blue Apricorns," explained Maizie. "These are used to make Lure Balls, which are the best to use to capture Water Pokémon. These should be ready to be picked."

Tristan and Hillary each picked one Blue Apricorn and put it in their backpacks.

Presently, Tristan saw another tree in the distance. "Is that an Apricorn Tree, too?"

"Yes, it is," answered Maizie. "And you found it before I saw it."

"But the Apricorns are in that tree are black," said Hillary.

"That's because those Black Apricorns are used to make Heavy Balls," explained Maizie. "They've grown to be very big."

"Those balls must be used to catch heavy Pokémon like Snorlax, right?" asked Tristan.

"Yup, you're right again," smiled Maizie. "You're getting to be just as smart as I am."

"Well, I don't know half as much about Apricorns as you do, Maizie," said Tristan. "But I have been known to be a quick study."

"Then it's also fair to know that these Apricorns are ready to be picked, too," said Maizie.

"For real?" said Hillary excitedly. "This must be our lucky day!" And she ran with Tristan to the tree.

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

But unfortunately, more Pineco made their appearance as they hung from the branches.

"Whoops!" said Hillary. "I spoke too soon."

"More Pineco," said Tristan. "Just great."

"But what would they be doing in a tree like this one?" asked Hillary. "Do you think they're protecting it just like the Beedrill and the Diglett protecting the other Apricorn Trees?"

"I doubt it," replied Maizie. "But then again, these Pineco have a way of protecting any and every Apricorn Tree from any intruder who tries to get close to it."

"And they'll probably self-destruct if any sudden moves are made," added Hillary.

"Well, we can't battle with them," said Tristan. "It'll only hurt the Apricorn Trees."

"Actually, that's exactly what we may have to do," replied Maizie. "Sure we may lose a few Apricorns, but it's better than losing an entire tree. And once the Pineco are defeated, they won't Self-Destruct anymore."

"You're right," said Tristan. "There's no choice." He took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Chikorita, Tackle attack that tree!"

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "Hook, Line, and Stinker'))_

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it and tackled the tree full-body style, knocking the Pineco out of the tree, and saving the Apricorns.

The Pineco were starting to get upset, and began to glow in a blue aura.

"Hurry, Tristan!" cried Hillary. "You've gotta calm them down before they all explode!"

"Okay, Chikorita, calm them down with your Sweet Scent!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita released a cloud of pink powder from the leaf on its head.

The powder enveloped Pineco, and an instant later, they all stopped glowing, and they became calm once more.

"Great job, Chikorita," commended Tristan.

Chikorita smiled and nodded.

"Boy, that sure was a close call," said Maizie. "Good thing those Pineco are down out of the tree now. So now we should be able to get those Black Apricorns without any more problems."

"Let's see what we can do about that," said Tristan as he and Hillary tried to make their way to the Apricorn Trees.

But just then, Hillary's right foot accidentally stepped on one of the Pineco, causing it to become even more upset, and it glowed in a blue aura.

"Yikes!" cried Hillary. "Me and my big feet!"

"Guys, quick, get away!" yelled Maizie.

But it was too late, for all the Pineco started lighting up and...

_BOOM!_

All the Pineco Self-Destructed all over Hillary, Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita.

When the smoke cleared, Tristan and Hillary and the Pokémon were left very stunned and confused and looked well-done just like last time.

"Oh, no!" groaned Maizie. "You're all dirty again!"

"Just my luck," grumbled Hillary. "My hair's been ruined twice in one day."

"I told you those Pineco were like grenades," said Tristan.

Just then, two Black Apricorns dropped out of the tree from the result of the blasts, bounced on Tristan's head, and neatly landed in the hands of both Tristan and Hillary.

"Well, it looks like you got what you two came for," smiled Maizie. "But let's see about getting home after we get washed up again."

* * *

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

That evening, Maizie took Tristan and Hillary back to Kurt's house.

"I can't believe we had to wash up twice in one day," grumbled Hillary.

"Grandma would be very proud," added Tristan.

"As my grandpa would say, it builds character," smiled Maizie. "But more importantly, we saved the best tree for last." And she pointed to the White Apricorn Tree just outside the house.

"It's the White Apricorn Tree," said Tristan. "These must be used for making...what kind of Poké Ball?"

"Fast Balls," answered Maizie. "They're good for catching fast Pokémon. Go ahead and pick one each."

And Tristan and Hillary did just that.

"All right, we have all the Apricorns we need," said Hillary. "Now we can bring them to Kurt so he can make us these Apricorn Poké Balls."

"Now you're talking," smiled Tristan.

Inside the house, Kurt heard them coming in as he busied himself with his work making more Poké Balls.

"We're back, Grandpa!" called Maizie.

"Ah, welcome back," replied Kurt. "Did you find the Apricorns?"

"Yes, we did," answered Hillary.

And she and Tristan took out their collection of Apricorns they picked.

"Well, I must say, I'll have a field day with these," smiled Kurt. "And I'll be sure to make these Poké Balls the finest yet."

"Now that that's done, let's go earn my next badge!" said Tristan. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"

Pikachu eagerly nodded as it followed him out of the house.

"Guys, wait up!" called Hillary. Then she turned to Kurt and Maizie. "I guess we'll be back for the Apricorn Poké Balls later." And she hurried after Tristan and Pikachu.

Kurt and Maizie turned to each other.

"Let's wait here for them," said Kurt. "We'll need a Fast Ball to catch those guys."

"You said it, Grandpa," chuckled Maizie.

* * *

_After an explosive adventure, Tristan and Hillary managed to get the Apricorns they wanted thanks in no small part to Kurt's granddaughter, Maizie. And after that little adventure, Tristan is ready to earn his second Johto League badge._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	29. A BUGGY BATTLE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 29 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. In some ways, this is like the Pokémon episode "Gettin' the Bugs Out," but there are differences, as you know. Feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan faces off against Bugsy, the Azalea Town Gym Leader. Will his Pokémon squash Bugsy's Pokémon like bugs, or will they bug him into defeat?**

**Chapter 29: A BUGGY BATTLE**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Gettin' the Bugs Out"))_

_After getting a good night's sleep, Tristan and Hillary finally arrive at the Azalea Town Gym where Tristan hopes to win his second Johto League badge._

Tristan was feeling very excited the next morning as he, Hillary, and Pikachu came to the Gym. "I can't wait to get started battling," he said excitedly. "This is gonna be a great battle! And I just know we're gonna win today. Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded eagerly.

"I can see why," agreed Hillary. "You've been waiting for this a long time. I can't wait to see you in another Gym battle. And this'll be a great way to pass the time while we wait for Kurt to finish making our Poké Balls."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"Let's go, guys," said Tristan. "I can't wait to get started."

And together, he and his friends went inside the Gym.

But they never expected to see a big surprise: an indoor forest full of grass and trees.

In those trees, there were dozens of Weedle, Kakuna, Caterpie, and Metapod roaming around.

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "This place is crawling with tons of Bug Pokémon!"

"Somebody sure loves them, or they wouldn't run the Gym that way," added Tristan.

"You bet I do," said a voice.

Tristan and Hillary were startled to find an androgynous boy with purple hair and purple eyes standing on a tree branch behind them.

But Hillary was so startled, she lost her balance and fell backward crushing what she thought was a big stick, which made a big cracking sound.

"Are you okay, sis?" asked Tristan as he helped her back on her feet.

"I think so," replied Hillary.

"Bug Pokémon are my absolute favorites," said the boy. "And I love raising them. And I've learned something as a Gym Leader: 'A Trainer that learns the rules of the Bug Pokémon learns to rule the Bug Pokémon.'"

Tristan and Hillary were left speechless.

"Maybe you've never heard of that saying before," said the boy, "but I'm sure you'll see what I mean...if either of you wants to challenge me to a Gym match, that is."

"I will," said Tristan. "I'm Tristan from New Bark Town, and I've come to challenge you to win a badge."

"Very well," replied the boy. "My name's Bugsy, and I accept any and all challenges. That's my job as the Azalea Town Gym Leader. Except..."

"Except what?" asked Hillary.

"I'm stuck up here," said Bugsy. "Could you get the ladder?"

"We would, but there's one little problem," said Hillary.

Bugsy gasped as he saw the broken ladder. "Now I have no way to get down from here!"

"Leave that to me," said Tristan as he took out Venusaur's Poké Ball, which instantly opened.

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Venusaur, could you help Bugsy down from the tree?" asked Tristan.

Venusaur nodded and used its Vine Whip to gently wrap its vines around Bugsy. Then it lowered him safely toward the ground.

"Thanks, guys," said Bugsy. "I didn't mean to startle you like that."

"That's okay, Bugsy," replied Tristan. "We were just glad to help out, right Venusaur?"

Venusaur nodded as Tristan returned it to its Poké Ball.

"I'm sorry about breaking your ladder," said Hillary.

"Don't worry about it," replied Bugsy. "I've been planning to get a new ladder anyway. That old ladder was making me nervous, and I figured it was only a matter of time before I had to get another one."

"Well, now that that's over, what do you say about having our Gym battle now?" asked Tristan.

"I accept your challenge," replied Bugsy.

* * *

Tristan and Bugsy stood at a battlefield in the middle of the indoor forest while Hillary and Togepi watched from the sidelines.

A referee was standing by as he prepared to officiate the match. "This official Pokémon battle between Bugsy, the Azalea Town Gym Leader, and Tristan, the challenger from New Bark Town, is about to begin. Each Trainer may use three Pokémon. The challenger is allowed to change Pokémon if necessary, but the Gym Leader is not. A Gym badge is at stake. Begin the match when ready."

"Ready, Tristan?" asked Bugsy. "Ever since you and your Venusaur helped me out of that tree, I could tell that you're a great Trainer. But don't expect me to go easy on you just 'cause you helped me out."

"Bring it on, Bugsy!" replied Tristan, who felt confident about this Gym battle.

_(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

"I choose Spinarak!" shouted Bugsy as he threw his first Poké Ball.

A green Pokémon resembling a spider emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So he's starting off with Spinarark," said Hillary to herself. "This should be easy."

"Ready, Pikachu?" asked Tristan. "We can handle this one."

Pikachu agreed as it ran in front of him and onto the battlefield.

"Spinarak, use String Shot," instructed Bugsy.

Spinarak shot a sticky white string from its mouth.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu zigzagged to evade Spinarak's String Shot.

"Keep it up, Spinarak!" said Bugsy.

Spinarak kept shooting its String Shot attacks in Pikachu's direction, but no matter how hard it tried, Pikachu jumped out of the way to avoid it.

"Your Pikachu's obviously been raised well," said Bugsy to Tristan. "But let's see if you can keep up."

"All right," replied Tristan. "Give it your best shot."

"Okay, you asked for it," smiled Bugsy. "Spinarak, cover the whole field with String Shot!"

Spinarak unleashed as much sticky white string from its mouth as it could.

Unfortunately, the string was covering the area so much that Pikachu couldn't dodge it, and it got caught in the sticky string.

"Pikachu!" gasped Tristan.

"Gotcha!" said Bugsy.

"Boy, Bugsy sure knows how to give it his best shot," said Hillary. "I guess Tristan shouldn't have said to give it his best shot because now Pikachu can't seem to move as easily as it usually does."

"Spinarak, Poison Sting attack!" ordered Bugsy.

Spinarak shot poisonous needles from its mouth at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed a yellow bolt of electricity to not only defend against Spinarak's Poison Sting, but to also break the string, breaking itself free.

"That was perfect, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

"Hurry, Spinarak, use your Poison Sting again!" ordered Bugsy.

Spinarak shot another barrage of poisonous needles from its mouth at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, dodge it and finish it off with Quick Attack now!" instructed Tristan.

With its speed back to normal, Pikachu nimbly dodged Spinarak's Poison Sting and sped toward Spinarak with a white line trailing behind it, scoring a direct hit on Spinarak and sending it flying backward.

Spinarak collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

"Spinarak, are you okay?" asked Bugsy as he ran to it.

"Spinarak is unable to battle...Pikachu wins!" declared the referee.

"Awesome job, Pikachu," commended Tristan. "We did it again!"

Pikachu smiled. It was so happy for the win that it jumped for joy.

"Pikachu sure seems happy, just like Tristan," remarked Hillary. "They got themselves out of a sticky situation and won the first round."

Togepi nodded in agreement.

"Very good, Tristan," said Bugsy. "You were able to break through SPinarak's String Shot without even flinching. But now, it's time for me to up my game." He took out his second Poké Ball and threw it. "Metapod, go!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival theme)_

A green chrysalis Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, Metapod's second," said Hillary to herself. "Tristan had better watch out because that Metapod's tougher than it looks."

_I wonder why he chose a Metapod, _thought Tristan. _The only attacks it normally knows are Tackle, Harden, and String Shot. Still, I'd better be careful because that Metapod must be super strong, or else he wouldn't use it in a Gym match. _"Keep your guard up, Pikachu," he said aloud. "There's no telling how strong that Metapod really is."

Pikachu nodded.

"Pikachu let's try your Quick Attack one more time now!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu sped toward Metapod as a white line streaked behind it.

"Metapod, use Harden now," instructed Bugsy.

Metapod glowed for a few seconds, and then it stopped glowing. An instant later, its body was as hard as steel.

Pikachu rammed into Metapod, but didn't do any damage to it. Worse, Pikachu seemed to take on some damage itself.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu shook off the damage and nodded.

"Bugsy's strategy must've worked," said Hillary nervously. "Now Tristan has to come up with something else and not just attack Metapod directly."

"Metapod, jump, then use Tackle attack!" commanded Bugsy.

Metapod jumped high in the air and proceeded to land on top of Pikachu.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped out of the way just as Metapod was about to land on it.

The force of Metapod's landing created a huge cloud of dust to form.

"Where did that Metapod go?" asked Tristan as he tried to see through the dust.

"Tackle it, Metapod!" ordered Bugsy.

Suddenly, Metapod shot out from the cloud and proceeded to attack Pikachu.

"Watch out, Pikachu!" shouted Tristan.

Fortunately, Pikachu's sensitive ears picked up on Metapod's movements, and it quickly jumped out of the way, causing Metapod to miss its target.

"Phew! That was close," said Hillary. "There has to be a way for Tristan to win this without that Metapod bugging him and Pikachu. And I know he'll find it."

By that time, the dust cleared up, and Pikachu was ready for Metapod's next attack.

_If I use Quick Attack again, Metapod will just use Harden to block it, _thought Tristan. _But maybe I can use Quick Attack another way._

"Metapod, Tackle attack again!" commanded Bugsy.

Metapod jumped and proceeded to pounce on Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack to dodge it, then you can tire it out!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu sped from side to side as it dodged Metapod's Tackle attacks. Then, when Metapod's reflexes slowed down enough, Pikachu jumped on top of Metapod, surprising it.

There was no way for Metapod to get away from Pikachu now.

"Okay, Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed a close-range Thunderbolt attack on Metapod, shocking it.

"Metapod!" cried Bugsy.

"Metapod sure felt that!" remarked Hillary.

Metapod collapsed from the damage, and it was knocked out.

"Metapod is unable to continue...Pikachu wins!" declared the referee.

Bugsy returned Metapod to its Poké Ball and held it close to him. "You battled great, Metapod. You deserve a good rest."

"That's two down and one to go," said Hillary.

Tristan and Pikachu shared in their triumph over two of Bugsy's Pokémon.

"You're good, Tristan," said Bugsy. "You remind me of another Trainer named Ash, whom I battled not too long ago. Like him, you've also lasted into the third round, but you've managed to hang in without losing any of your Pokémon. But that's all gonna end here and now. I've saved my best Pokémon for last. It's time for the Bug Pokémon Warrior to make an appearance." And he took out his third Poké Ball and threw it. "I choose you, Scyther!"

A green Pokémon resembling a mantis emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"A Scyther!" gasped Hillary.

Sparks were sizzling from the electric sacs on Pikachu's cheeks.

_This one'll be tough, but Pikachu seems to be ready for it, _thought Tristan. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" he shouted.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Pikachu prepared to launch a yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks.

"Scyther, use your Double Team now!" instructed Bugsy.

Scyther quickly made illusory copies of itself as Pikachu launched a yellow bolt of electricity at it.

Unfortunately, Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack missed its target.

"That Scyther's fast," grunted Tristan. "Don't let it fool you, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt on all of them!"

Pikachu launched multiple yellow bolts of electricity from its body at the illusory copies, which were disappearing one by one.

_Once Pikachu's Thunderbolt eliminates all the copies, we should be able to finish it off with one more Thunderbolt attack, _thought Tristan. He was expecting the real Scyther to make itself known at any moment; however, he noticed that every one of them disappeared, including the real one. "Now where'd that Scyther go? It just disappeared."

"Fury Cutter!" ordered Bugsy.

Out of nowhere, Scyther appeared, much to Tristan's shock, and came right behind Pikachu, and before Pikachu could react, Scyther used its scythes to slash Pikachu. Again and again it successfully scored a direct hit, giving it no time to counterattack.

"Pikachu's in big trouble!" exclaimed Hillary.

"That's because Scyther's Fury Cutter gets stronger and stronger every time it hits," explained Bugsy. "And when it hits, the damage is doubled."

"Pikachu, no!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu collapsed from the damage it took from Scyther's Fury Cutter. It had been knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle...Scyther wins the round!" declared the referee.

"I was afraid this would happen," said Hillary sadly.

Tristan quickly rushed over to Pikachu. "Are you okay? Say something, buddy."

Pikachu opened its eyes and gave a weak reply.

"You rest up for awhile," said Tristan. "You battled really well." And he carried Pikachu back over to his side of the field and carefully placed it next to him.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in _

"Tristan has two Pokémon left," said Hillary to herself. "He still has a chance to win this."

"Your Pikachu may not have defeated Scyther, Tristan," said Bugsy. "But it's proven to be a very strong opponent. Who's up for the challenge next?"

"The answer is a Pokémon that'll help turn the heat up...way up," answered Tristan as he took out his Fast Ball and threw it. "Cyndaquil, I choose you!"

His Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Looks like Tristan made a good decision," said Hillary. "Cyndaquil's Flamethrower attacks should be able to scorch that Scyther with no problem."

"This is it, Cyndaquil," said Tristan. "Your Fire attacks will bring us to victory. Let's go!"

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and charged into battle against Scyther.

"Scyther, Fury Cutter attack!" ordered Bugsy.

Scyther charged toward Cyndaquil and used its scythes to attack.

"That's how they beat Pikachu! Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil nimbly jumped out of the way of Scyther's Fury Cutter.

"Scyther, use your Double Team attack!" ordered Bugsy.

Once again, Scyther made illusory copies of itself.

But Tristan knew how to stop it. "Okay, Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower attack!"

Cyndaquil unleashed a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at the Scyther copies.

One by one they disappeared, but this time, the real Scyther was revealed before it could launch another sneak attack on Cyndaquil.

"That's the one, Cyndaqul!" shouted Tristan. "Aim your Flamethrower straight at it!"

But Bugsy seemed unconcerned. "Scyther, time for Swords Dance!"

Scyther quickly spun round and round, creating a gust of wind that repelled Cyndaquil's Flamethrower attack before it could reach it.

But Cyndaquil kept going at it in the hopes that it would score a hit on it.

However, Tristan could see that Cyndaquil's Flamethrower was going nowhere fast. _That Swords Dance attack is just repelling Cyndaquil's Flamethrower, and I can't risk Cyndaquil tiring out early. _"Cyndaquil, stop your attack!" he said aloud.

Instantly, Cyndaquil stopped its Flamethrower attack.

Scyther stopped its Swords Dance a few seconds later.

"Now what's Tristan gonna do?" said Hillary.

"Fire attacks are a Bug Pokémon's greatest weakness, Tristan," said Bugsy. "But they're useless if they can't reach them."

_He's right, _thought Tristan. _I can't just use any straightforward attack. I'll have to improvise and think of a way to stop that Scyther, even with its Swords Dance in motion. _He then thought back to how Scyther's Swords Dance repelled Flamethrower from the ground. _Wait a minute. If we can't use Flamethrower from the ground, maybe we can attack it from the air. Yes! This just might work. _"Okay, Cyndaquil get your Flamethrower attack ready!" he said aloud.

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

Cyndaquil got ready to use its Flamethrower attack as it charged in once again.

"Bad move, Tristan," said Bugsy. "Scyther, Swords Dance now!"

Once again, Scyther spun round and round, going faster and faster, creating a strong gust of wind.

But that was just what Tristan had planned. "Cyndaquil, jump right above Scyther and point your body straight down!" he shouted.

Cyndaquil jumped into the air with all its might and pointed its body straight toward Scyther.

Sure enough, there was no wind above Scyther to repel any of Cyndaquil's attacks, leaving it completely vulnerable from above.

"Perfect! Now spin and use your Flamethrower attack at maximum power now!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil spun round and round in midair just like Scyther did, and unleashed a powerful flame from its mouth right above Scyther, and scored a huge direct hit.

"Scyther!" cried Bugsy.

"Yes! That sure hit the mark!" said Hillary excitedly.

Scyther was left dazed from a combination of spinning around so much and from the direct hit it had taken from Cyndaqul's Flamethrower.

"Hurry, Cyndaquil, finish it off with Quick Attack before it can recover!" shouted Tristan.

Cyndaquil sped toward Scyther with a white line trailing behind it, and scored another direct hit on a dazed Scyther before it could do anything.

Scyther collapsed on the ground from the two direct hits. It had been knocked out.

"Scyther is unable to battle...Cyndaquil wins the round!" declared the referee. "The victory goes to the challenger, Tristan, from New Bark Town!"

"Yes!" cried Tristan excitedly. "Cyndaquil, we did it!"

Cyndaquil squealed in excitement and happily ran to its Trainer.

Bugsy returned Scyther to its Poké Ball and held it close to him. "Great job, Scyther. Take a good rest."

"You were awesome, Cyndaquil," said Tristan as he embraced Cyndaquil in his arms. "I'm very proud of you."

Cyndaquil nodded.

Hillary and Togepi came out to congratulate him.

"Now that was a great technique," said Hillary. "I'd like to call it the Tailspin attack."

Tristan gave a good chuckle. "Well, it was a good technique, wasn't it, Cyndaquil?"

Cyndaquil nodded. It seemed to like the name of the improvised attack.

Bugsy came over to Tristan to congratulate him as well. "Well, Tristan, I thoroughly enjoyed our battle today. I leaned a lot from you. That was a really good strategy, kind of like the strategy Ash used to defeat my Scyther in my battle with him. And I think the Tailspin attack is a good name, too. You deserved to win today."

"Thank you, Bugsy," replied Tristan. "Your Pokémon have been raised well, too."

Bugsy took out a badge that resembled a ladybug. "This Hive Badge is yours, and you earned it."

Tristan happily accepted the Hive Badge. "Thanks a lot, Bugsy." Then he raised his new badge in the air and happily proclaimed, "Yes! A Hive Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"Hey, Tristan?" said Bugsy. "If you and Hillary ever come back to Azalea Town, why don't we have a rematch?"

"I'd like that," replied Tristan. "But I should warn you that we'll be even stronger than we are now."

"And so will I," agreed Bugsy. "I wish you success on your Johto League journey."

And Tristan and Bugsy shared a happy handshake.

* * *

That night, Tristan and Hillary gave Maizie a call at the Pokémon Center.

"I earned a Hive Badge in my Gym battle today," said Tristan.

"Congratulations," smiled Maizie. "Grandpa says that making Poké Balls is a lot of hard work, especially when he has 14 Apricorns to work with. So I'm afraid I'm stuck helping him, so I can't help you pick any more Apricorns."

"Don't worry about that, Maizie," said Hillary. "We'll be able to tell which ones are ready to be picked."

"That's good," replied Maizie. "I have to get back to helping my grandpa. But feel free to pick Apricorns on your own tomorrow morning on your way back to our place."

"We will," said Tristan. "Thanks, Maizie. Say hi to Kurt for us."

"I will," replied Maizie. "Good night."

The video screen then turned off.

"Well, I guess we'd better wait some more until tomorrow," sighed Hillary. "Let's get some sleep until then."

"Good idea," yawned Hillary. "I can't wait to see what we'll be doing tomorrow."

And together, they set off toward their bedroom.

* * *

_And so, Tristan has earned his second badge from the Azalea Town Gym. Now he and Hillary prepare for another good night's rest as they think about the many adventures that lie ahead._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	30. THE MYSTERY OF THE GS BALL

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 30 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You may recall that the writers of the Pokémon anime eventually abandoned the G.S. Ball plot altogether, and you may also recall that Kurt has not been seen in the anime since Ash, Misty, and Brock left Azalea Town. But what were to happen if the G.S. Ball mystery was solved? I'm basing this chapter from the encounter with Celebi in the Crystal version games and the Crystal Version game on the Pokémon console. And I'm also adding some music cues from the fourth Pokémon moive or Pokémon 4Ever: _Celebi: The Voice of the Forest. _Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Kurt, the Poké Ball expert, discovers something about the G.S. Ball as it wiggles and glows, so he and his granddaughter, Maizie, go with Tristan and Hillary and embark on an unforgettable adventure to the shrine in the center of the Ilex Forest. But they'll have to get past Tristan and Hillary's rival, Silver, first! But an even bigger surprise is waiting for them at the shrine.**

**Chapter 30: THE MYSTERY OF THE G.S. BALL**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_After winning a Hive Badge from Bugsy in the Azalea Town Gym, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are ready to take on more exciting adventures as they continue their Johto League journey._

"Wow, Tristan, that Hive Badge really looks beautiful," remarked Hillary as she and Tristan prepared to leave the Pokémon Center. "It almost looks exactly like the back of a ladybug, or, in Pokémon terms, a Ledyba."

Tristan took a closer look at his badge. Sure enough, there were black spots on it. "You're right, sis. It does bear a striking resemblance."

"Only six more badges to go, and you'll be able to participate in the Johto League," added Hillary.

"Then we shall continue to grow stronger and train even harder," replied Tristan. "Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu eagerly agreed.

"So, Tristan, what's our next destination?" asked Hillary.

"Let's take a look," replied Tristan as he looked at his Pokégear. He pushed a few buttons and responded, "According to the map, our next stop is Goldenrod City. It's where Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart live, and apparently, that place has a Gym, too." He showed Hillary the map.

"Great," said Hillary excitedly. "That's where you can get your next badge."

"Right, and once I win, I'll have three," added Tristan.

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

Togepi chirped in agreement as well.

"Hey, do you think we should pick a few Apricorns before we leave Azalea Town?" asked Hillary curiously.

"Well...I suppose it couldn't hurt," replied Tristan reluctantly. He had wanted to start travelling to Goldenrod City right away. However, he eventually agreed to the idea. The day had only just begun, and he was willing to spend another hour or two in Azalea Town picking Apricorns before moving on.

* * *

After an hour of picking ripe Apricorns, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all raced to Kurt's house. There, they met Maizie.

"Hi, guys," said Maizie. "Did you guys have a good time picking Apricorns?"

"We sure did," answered Tristan.

"I think my grandpa just finished making those Apricorn Poké Balls for you," said Maizie.

"That's great," replied Hillary. "May we go see him?"

"Sure, come on inside," said Maizie, and she led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu into the house.

Kurt was waiting for them. "Ah, Tristan and Hillary," he smiled. "It's nice to see you again."

"Good to see you, too, Kurt," replied Tristan.

"I just finished those Poké Balls for you," said Kurt as he pointed to the pile of fourteen Pokéballs, two for each Apricorn brought to him. "I know it was a lot of work to make them all, but I enjoy doing this sort of thing."

Kurt gave both Tristan and Hillary seven different Apricorn Poké Balls. They were a Fast Ball, a Moon Ball, a Friend Ball, a Heavy Ball, a Lure Ball, a Love Ball, and a Level Ball.

"Thanks so much, Kurt," said Hillary.

"We appreciate it," added Tristan.

At that moment, Kurt gave a big yawn.

"What's wrong, Grandpa?" asked Maizie.

"Well, I am a little tired," answered Kurt. "I burned the midnight oil making all those Poké Balls. However, I know that I should make them just right."

"I know that you're tired now, but once you've regained your strength, do you think you can make more of those Poké Balls for us?" asked Tristan.

"I'd be happy to," smiled Kurt. "Do you have any more of those Apricorns?"

Tristan and Hillary each took seven different Apricorns out of their backpacks.

"That's another nice collection of Apricorns," remarked Kurt. "When these are done, I'm sure you'll become even better Trainers with great Poké Balls and wonderful Pokémon."

"Thanks, Kurt, that means a lot," replied Hillary.

Tristan noticed an interesting Poké Ball on one of the shelves. It was gold on top and silver on the bottom. It had the letters G.S. inscribed on them. "What's that Poké Ball you have, Kurt?"

"Oh, that's the G.S. Ball," answered Kurt. "I don't know what mysteries surround that ball, but I'm hoping to find out very soon. It's protected with a very powerful lock, and I don't know how to unlock it, at least not yet."

"Hey, Tristan," said Hillary. "Do you remember the time back when we first met Brock, and he told us about the G.S. Ball?"

"That's right," answered Tristan as his memory started to come back to him. "I remember that he and his friends, Ash and Misty, had traveled to Valencia Island so Professor Ivy could study it."

"That is correct," affirmed Kurt. "Afterwards, Professor Oak got it and studied it for awhile. Then, after much studying, he asked Ash, Misty, and Brock to deliver it to me. So far, I haven't found a clue as to what this ball actually is or where it actually came from. But I know the answer will come to me sometime soon."

Suddenly, the G.S. ball on the shelf began to glow and it started shaking.

Everyone was very surprised, including Kurt and Maizie.

"Kurt, what's going on with the G.S. ball?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but it looks like an answer is about to come to us," replied Kurt.

The G.S. ball shook so hard that it fell off the shelf. Fortunately, Kurt ran and caught it just in time. "Huh? What's this?"

Sure enough, the G.S. ball continued to wiggle in Kurt's hands.

"What's going on, Grandpa?" asked Maizie worriedly.

"I don't know, but there must be some reason why this ball is glowing and shaking like it is," replied Kurt. "I have to find out!" And he ran outside.

"Wait up, Grandpa!" shouted Maizie as she, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu ran after him.

When they got outside, they gasped in disbelief at what they saw.

Hundreds of wild Pokémon were flying over a thick forest of trees like an angry swarm of bees.

"Do those Pokémon live in that forest?" asked Tristan.

"Yes," answered Kurt. "Normally, they're very calm and friendly, but something's making them grow very restless, as if something was about to come there."

"What do you mean, Kurt?" asked Hillary.

"It's hard to say for sure, but what we do know is that those Pokémon look very restless in there," explained Kurt. "The only way we'll know for sure is if we go into that forest and see for ourselves." He went to Tristan and gave him the G.S. Ball. "Tristan, I need you to keep an eye on this. Perhaps, if we take it to the Ilex Forest up ahead, maybe we can help calm the Pokémon down."

"The Ilex Forest?" repeated Tristan.

"Yes," answered Kurt. "It's so full of thick and dark trees that it can be very hard to see in there, especially at night."

"Then let's go into the Ilex Forest and figure this out," said Tristan. He was clearly determined to help Kurt and the residing Pokémon any way he could.

"I'm with you, big bro," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Maizie nodded in agreement.

"But before we go, I promised to give Professor Oak a call the moment I found out anything new with the G.S. Ball," added Kurt. "I'll be right back." And he hurried inside his house.

"Well, I suppose we should wait here for Kurt, right?" asked Tristan.

"Well, as long as the Pokémon don't attack us, I'm fine with that," said Hillary.

"Me, too," agreed Maizie. "Grandpa's been wanting to get some sleep after making those Apricorn Poké Balls, but I don't think this latest event will let him even if he tried."

* * *

Inside the house, Kurt wasted no time calling Professor Oak on the video phone.

"What's that?" gasped Professor Oak. "Did you say that you may have figured something out about the G.S. Ball?"

"I'm not saying that I know exactly," replied Kurt. "But as the G.S. Ball started to glow, the kids and I saw all the Pokémon acting restless in the Ilex Forest!"

"The Ilex Forest?" Professor Oak was astounded. "I think I've been there at least a few times before. You don't suppose it might have something to do with the spirit that watches over it, do you?"

"I don't know, but I believe that the only answer may be at the Ilex Forest Shrine," replied Kurt.

"Tristan and Hillary have their Pokégears on them, right?" said Professor Oak. "I'll try and keep in contact with them as much as I can. In the meantime, I should let Ash, Misty, and Brock know about this, too. After all, we both have promises to keep."

Kurt nodded in agreement.

A few moments later, Kurt came out of the house. "All right, kids, let's go into the Ilex Forest and solve the mystery of the G.S. Ball once and for all."

Everyone nodded in agreement. And together, they left the urban areas of Azalea Town behind them.

* * *

The Ilex Forest was so thick with trees that sunlight could hardly be seen.

"So this is the Ilex Forest," said Tristan. He checked his Pokégear to try and see his exact location, although it didn't give him the information that he and his friends needed. He took out his paper map and compass to help him and the others find their way, but the shade of the trees was so dark that he couldn't read the map, and the compass needle was spinning so much that he couldn't figure out what direction they were going. "That's so weird."

"What is?" asked Maizie.

"The compass is going crazy," answered Tristan. "It's hard to pinpoint our location here. I wonder if this has something to do with the trees. Or maybe it could have something to do with the events leading up to our G.S. Ball mystery."

"Like the Pokémon going restless and the G.S. Ball glowing the way it did?" asked Kurt.

"Maybe," replied Tristan. "I don't know if everything about this is true. But it can't be just some coincidence."

"It sure is creepy," remarked Hillary.

"Let's all try and stick together," advised Kurt. "There's safety in numbers."

"Grandpa's right," agreed Maizie. "If we get lost here, we'll never be able to find our way."

"Why don't we hold hands?" suggested Tristan. "That way we'll be sure to stay together, and we'll make sure that nobody gets scared here."

_(Music Cue: Legend of the Forest)_

Hillary and the others agreed as they each held on to each other's hands.

The Pokémon seemed to be flying everywhere, acting restless just like Kurt said.

Pikachu and Togepi were starting to get a little restless themselves.

"It seems like those Pokémon just can't relax for some reason," said Maizie. "It's almost as if they're anxious about something."

"But what do they sense that we don't?" wondered Tristan.

"It's hard to say for sure," said Kurt. "In all my years of helping find out about mysteries, neither I nor Professor Oak knows the answer, at least not yet."

There was a moment of silence as the voices of Pokémon were heard in the distance.

"I think our only course of action is to go to the Ilex Forest Shrine," Kurt said at last.

"The Ilex Forest Shrine?" repeated Hillary. "What's that?"

"It's a place where the spirit of the forest is known to live," explained Kurt. "Professor Oak told me that he's been at this place a few times before."

"He has?" asked Tristan.

Kurt nodded. "Legends say that this shrine honors the spirit that watches over this forest. I don't know if the legend is true, but what I do know is that it's the only clue we have."

"Do you know the name of this spirit?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not quite sure," replied Kurt. "Some people say that the spirit that watches over this forest may be a Pokémon, but I'm not sure if it is. Other sources say that it can travel through time, but I can't be sure about that, either."

"Then let's make our way to the shrine, right, Grandpa?" said Maizie.

"Precisely," answered Kurt.

Presently, the Silver Wing around Tristan's neck glowed.

Tristan held it in his hands. "That's weird."

"What's weird, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"My Silver Wing seems to be reacting to something," replied Tristan.

"But what?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not sure," said Tristan. "Lugia never told me about this before."

Maizie was surprised. "You're friends with the legendary Pokémon, Lugia? You're so lucky."

Tristan nodded. "We were caught up in a chase by Team Rocket, who was trying to capture it. I'll never forget the feeling of flying high and fast on its back. It was like a roller coaster. Someday, I'd like to see my friend again."

"And you will," said Hillary.

"So what powers does this Silver Wing possess that you know of?" asked Kurt.

"I don't know everything about it yet," replied Tristan. "Lugia told me that this Silver Wing has many magical powers, but I've never seen it glow like that before."

"There has to be a logical explanation why the Silver Wing would just glow at random," said Maizie.

Tristan agreed. "There's only one way we can find out for sure. We have to go to the Ilex Forest Shrine."

"No, you have to tell me something," said a voice.

Everyone was startled to find a familiar red-haired boy approaching them.

"It's Silver!" gasped Hillary.

Kurt was surprised. "You know him?"

"We know him, all right," replied Tristan. "He's the Trainer who treats his Pokémon very harshly, especially in battles."

"So, is it true that Team Rocket has returned?" asked Silver.

"Yes, it's true, Silver," said Hillary. "We battled and beat them at the Slowpoke Well in Azalea Town in case you missed out."

"What? You beat them?!" exclaimed Silver. Then his expression of shock turned into a smile. "Ha! Quit lying."

"We're serious here, Silver!" said Hillary, who was beginning to lose patience.

"So you are," smirked Silver. "Well, let's see how good you really are."

"I'll show you, Mister Know-It-All!" said Hillary as she prepared to take out her first Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme)_

However, Tristan stopped her. "Why battle her when you can battle me instead?"

"But Tristan..." began Hillary.

"We have more important things to do," answered Tristan. "And there are restless Pokémon in this forest, and we have to get to that shrine. Besides, we didn't exactly come into this forest to argue all day."

"Fine, then I'll take you on," smirked Silver. "It doesn't really matter who I battle. If you insist on humiliating yourself, then be my guest. We'll battle three on three."

"Fine with me," replied Tristan. "This match'll be over in no time."

"Gastly, battle mode!" shouted Silver as he threw his first Poké Ball.

A black spherical Pokémon surrounded by purple gas emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Let's get this over with quickly," said Tristan. "Let's do it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu leaped off of Tristan's shoulder and got into position to face Gastly.

"Let's begin," said Silver. "Gastly, Lick attack, go!"

Gastly flew forward and proceeded to lick Pikachu with its tongue.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu shot a powerful yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks and scored a direct hit on Gastly.

"What?!" gasped Silver as Gastly collapsed and fainted. He didn't say a word as he returned Gastly to its Poké Ball. "Hmph! Lucky move. But it'll take more than dumb luck to beat me." He then took out his second Poké Ball and threw it. "Zubat, battle mode!"

Silver's Zubat emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Zubat, Bite attack now!" ordered Silver.

Zubat flew toward Pikachu and proceeded to bite down on it using its fangs.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt one more time!" commanded Tristan.

Once again, Pikachu unleashed a yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks and scored a direct hit on Zubat.

Like Gastly, Zubat was defeated with just one attack.

Silver returned Zubat to its Poké Ball. "You may have beaten my first two Pokémon with ease. But let's see if you can defeat my third Pokémon!" He took out his third Poké Ball and threw it. "Croconaw, battle mode!"

A blue bipedal crocodilian Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked like Totodile, but it was bigger, its lower jaw was yellow, and it had an asymmetrical yellow and blue pattern around its chest.

"Silver's Totodile must've evolved," said Hillary. "I guess it's a good thing I'm not battling him." And she took out her Pokédex and scanned Croconaw with it.

_"Croconaw, the Big Jaw Pokémon. The evolved form of Totodile. The tips of its fangs are slanted backward. If it loses a fang, a new one quickly grows in its place."_

"That's like teeth that always get replaced," remarked Maizie.

Kurt nodded in agreement.

"Croconaw, Bite attack!" ordered Silver.

Croconaw charged at Pikachu and proceeded to bite down on it with its fangs.

"Pikachu, dodge it using Quick Attack!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu sped from side to side as a white line streaked behind it and nimbly dodged Croconaw's fangs.

"Fine, then we'll use Water Gun instead!" said Silver.

Croconaw jumped back and shot a blast of water from its mouth.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed another yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks at Croconaw's Water Gun.

The two attacks collided and pushed each other back and forth like a see-saw.

But Pikachu was able to push Croconaw's Water Gum back, and sure enough, its Thunderbolt scored a direct hit on it, sending it flying.

Croconaw crashed into a nearby tree and collapsed on the ground. It had been knocked out.

Pikachu nimbly landed on its feet.

"Great job, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

Pikachu replied happily.

"Hmph! Useless Pokémon," huffed Silver as he returned Croconaw to its Poké Ball. Then he turned to Tristan. "Listen, you. You only won because my Pokémon were weak."

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

Hillary was indignant. "Weak?! Just because Pikachu is strong doesn't mean that your Pokémon are weak!"

"Just be glad that you weren't the one battling, or your weak Pokémon would've lost just like mine did," said Silver. "I hate the weak. Pokémon, Trainers, it doesn't matter who or what. That brother of yours has proven to be quite strong, however. But I'm going to be stronger and wipe out the weak. That goes for you and Team Rocket, too, Hillary."

"I'm not weak!" said Hillary as she raised her voice.

"Team Rocket acts big and tough in a group," continued Silver. "But get them alone, and they're weak. I hate them all." And he started to leave. "You two just stay out of my way. Trainers like you only prove to be a distraction." And he turned on his heel and left.

"Yeah, that's right, Silver!" shouted Hillary as Silver left. "Next time, show a little more respect, huh?"

"Come on," advised Tristan. "We have to get to that shrine before the entire forest goes out of control." And he raced ahead.

Hillary and the others followed.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and their friends came to the deepest part of Ilex Forest and saw a small structure in the distance. They all stopped.

"Is that it, Grandpa?" asked Maizie.

"It's the one and only," answered Kurt. "The Ilex Forest Shrine."

Presently, the G.S. Ball started to glow again, and it wiggled harder than it did before.

Tristan managed to get a tight grip on it so it wouldn't wiggle so much.

"Tristan," said Kurt. "I think the only way to use the G.S. Ball is to put it on the Ilex Forest Shrine."

"But why, Kurt?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I don't know for sure," replied Kurt. "But once that ball is placed on the shrine, the answers to its mystery will be revealed."

Tristan thought about it. Then he said, "Okay, Kurt, I'll do it."

Presently, the Silver Wing around Tristan's neck began to glow even brighter than it did before.

"My Silver Wing!" gasped Tristan. "It must be glowing because of this, too!"

Presently, all the Pokémon living in the forest gathered to see Tristan and his friends at the shrine.

"The Pokémon are all together!" said Maizie.

"They've come to see what may be a major historic event," said Kurt.

Tristan continued to hold the G.S. Ball tightly in his hands.

"Go for it, Tristan," said Hillary. "And no matter what happens, we're all behind you."

Pikachu, Togepi, Kurt, and Maizie all nodded in agreement.

Tristan nodded and slowly moved forward towards the shrine. When he reached it, he noticed a perfectly round hole in it. "This must be where the G.S. Ball goes." He neatly placed the ball in the hole, and then he slowly stepped back from the shrine to where Hillary and the others were standing.

_(Music Cue: Take Flight: Towards the Legend!)_

Suddenly, the light from the G.S. Ball grew even stronger, and it soon enveloped everyone in the vicinity in a bright yellow light.

"What's happening now?" asked Tristan.

"I have a feeling we're about to find out," replied Kurt as he and the others continued to watch the event unfold.

All the Pokémon watched anxiously from a distance.

The light was so strong that it could be seen for miles around.

Tristan, Hillary, Kurt, and Maizie all watched anxiously as the light from the G.S. Ball continued to glow brightly.

"What's going on with the G.S. Ball, Grandpa?" asked Maizie.

"We'll see any second now," replied Kurt.

Presently, everyone heard a little clicking sound coming from the G.S. Ball.

"What's that?" gasped Hillary.

"That must be the powerful lock," answered Kurt. "Maybe now that the ball is unlocked, it might open."

And open it did, for as it did, a bright light emerged from it.

Everyone gasped in wonder as the light began to reveal itself.

All the residing Pokémon in their vicinity were just as anxious about the light as Tristan and his friends were.

Then slowly, the light began to glow dimmer, and a small form began to take shape from it.

When the light vanished, a green fairy-like creature emerged.

The creature had round toeless feet, three-fingered hands, and clear wings on its back. It had a round head that came to a curved point, along with a green pair of antennae with blue tips on its head. The creature stretched its arms, legs, and wings and opened its eyes, which were baby blue with thick black rings around them.

"Is that a...Pokémon?" asked Tristan.

"What a cutie!" remarked Maizie.

"That must be the spirit that protects the Ilex Forest," said Hillary as she looked on in wonder.

It was then that Kurt gasped. "I remember now!"

"You remember what, Grandpa?" asked Maizie.

"I had just figured out that the spirit that protects the Ilex Forest is a Grass-type Pokémon," answered Kurt. "And this legendary Pokémon has the unique ability to travel through time."

"Through time?" gasped Tristan.

"That's a legendary Pokémon?" added Hillary. "That may explain why Tristan's Silver Wing glowed when we were closing in on the shrine!"

Kurt nodded. "This Pokémon can go anywhere between the past and the future," explained Kurt. "And its name...is Celebi."

"Celebi...so that's its name," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

_"Celebi, the Time Travel Pokémon. Revered as the Guardian of the Forest, Celebi appears wherever beautiful forests exist. This Pokémon has the ability to travel through time."_

"That's...awesome," said Hillary.

Celebi studied its new surroundings, then it slowly flew over to Tristan.

"Hi, Celebi," said Tristan as he slowly put his hand out.

But Celebi quickly flew back, seemingly startled.

"It's okay," said Tristan. "We won't hurt you. We just want to be your friends."

Celebi closed its eyes and turned away.

"I guess Celebi must be a bit shy," said Hillary.

"That doesn't surprise me," replied Kurt. "I'd be shy, too, if I was stuck inside that G.S. Ball as long as Celebi has."

Maizie nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, without warning, a huge, flying armor-like bird came out of nowhere, surrounded in red flames, and scored a huge direct hit on Celebi and sent it flying, much to everyone's horror.

"Celebi!" cried Tristan as he ran as fast as he could toward the falling Pokémon, He quickly fell to the ground to catch it in his hands just before it hit the ground.

Hillary and the others rushed over to him.

"Tristan, are you okay?" asked Hillary.

"I'm fine," he answered.

Sparks sizzled from Pikachu's cheeks, warning the group that an enemy was approaching.

_(Music Cue: Iron Masked Marauder's Theme)_

Tristan then turned around and saw two people in blue uniforms with gray vests over them. The vests had letter "R"s on them.

One of them had yellow hair while the other had longer, grayish blue hair.

"We'll just take that Celebi off your hands now," said the yellow-haired person.

"Oh, yeah? And who are you?" demanded Hillary. Then she noticed the letter "R" on the two vests. "Hey, you're Team Rocket!"

"Correct," said the long-haired person. "My name's Hun and this is Attila. You will hand over that Celebi immediately."

"Forget it!" said Tristan defiantly.

"That wasn't a request, kid, it's an order," said Hun warningly.

The armor-like bird flew in front of them and prepared to attack again.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Maizie worriedly.

"Let's see," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Because Skarmory nests in briers and is constantly scratched by thorns, its wings become razor-sharp."_

"A nasty name for a nasty Pokémon," remarked Kurt.

"We're only gonna ask you nicely one more time...hand over Celebi or else," ordered Attila.

"Celebi does not belong to you!" said Tristan defiantly. "If you want Celebi that bad, you'll have to go through us first!"

"What he said!" agreed Hillary.

"All right, you asked for it," said Attila. "Skarmory, Sky Attack!"

Skarmory quickly flew toward Tristan and his friends as it surrounded itself in red flames.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu leaped into the air and shot a yellow bolt of electricity at Skarmory

But even though Skarmory was getting hit by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, it still flew on, and scored a direct hit on Pikachu.

"No, Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu was sent flying, but fortunately, Tristan managed to catch it in his arms.

However, as Attila and Hun closed in on Tristan in front of him, Skarmory closed in on him, Pikachu, and Celebi from behind.

"He's surrounded!" gasped Hillary.

"That was just a taste of our power, kid," said Hun. "Anyone who dares to get in our way will be eliminated. Show him, Attila!"

"Right!" replied Attila. "Skarmory, get rid of him once and for all! Sky Attack!"

"Look! That Skarmory's aiming for Tristan!" cried Maizie.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him!" demanded Hillary.

"How about an entire attack?! Go!" shouted Attila.

Skarmory flew straight at Tristan, and as it did, it surrounded itself with red flames.

"Tristan, look out!" cried Maizie.

Tristan braced himself as he did everything he could to shield Pikachu and Celebi from Skarmory's attack.

* * *

_And so, our heroes have figured out a critical piece of the G.S. Ball mystery, and discovered the legendary Pokémon, Celebi. Now, our heroes find themselves under attack by this dangerous pair of villains as Tristan stands in the way of Skarmory's powerful Sky Attack! Could this be how it ends for Tristan? Stay tuned!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	31. SAVING CELEBI

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 31 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Attila and Hun continue to cause trouble in this chapter. But Kurt and Maizie don't, fortunately. I decided to base the Silver Wing on Bakura's Millennium Ring from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime. The Millenium Ring, as you recall can point to other Millenium Items, and I've decided to add that particular power to the Silver Wing, but it can detect legendary Pokémon that are nearby. Don't worry, the Silver Wing won't be possessed. What will happen in this chapter? You'll find out if you just read it! This is so exciting I can't stand the suspense!**

**TEASER: Attila and Hun continue to cause trouble as they make one more attempt to capture Celebi. But little do they know that Tristan's Silver Wing will lead him and his friends right to Celebi. Will they save the Time Travel Pokémon from the villains' grasp?**

**Chapter 31: SAVING CELEBI**

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 2000 (as heard in the Japanese version of "The Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei"))_

_Last time, after picking Apricorns, our heroes stopped by Kurt's house to deliver them so that he could make more Poké Balls. But suddenly, the mysterious G.S. Ball began to glow and wiggle violently._

_Kurt suggested to take it to the Ilex Forest Shrine, which was made in honor of the forest's protector. So after contacting Professor Oak about the discovery, he, Maizie, and our heroes ventured out into the forest._

_While there, Silver appeared, and Tristan challenged him to a battle._

_Tristan and Pikachu made quick work of Silver and his three Pokémon, and together, he and his friends arrived at the Ilex Forest Shrine._

_Tristan neatly placed the glowing G.S. Ball in the shrine, and as he did, it began to glow even stronger. To everyone's surprise, the legendary Celebi emerged from the ball._

_But almost immediately, Attila and Hun from Team Rocket showed up and proceeded to capture Celebi. Pikachu battled hard, but was injured by Skarmory's attack, and now, Tristan braces himself for what may appear to be his last battle!_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Skarmory was still flying towards Tristan at full speed as red flames surrounded it.

"Quick, Tristan, get out of the way!" exclaimed Hillary.

"If he doesn't do something fast, he's done!" added Kurt.

Tristan stayed where he was as he continued to protect Pikachu and Celebi from Skarmory's attack, but as he did, his Silver Wing around his neck glowed brightly.

Everyone else shielded their eyes from the light when suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in the sky at blinding speed, flew right in front of Tristan, spread its great wings, and glowed in a green aura, forming a protective barrier and shielding him from the attack.

Skarmory, however, wasn't so lucky, as the force of the shield created a cloud of dust to form, causing it to be sent flying backward.

"What?!" growled Attila.

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (Ash Appears)_

When the smoke cleared, everyone saw a silvery white bird flying in midair in front of Tristan as it surrounded itself in a protective barrier.

Tristan smiled with delight. He knew who it was that had just saved his life.

"It's Lugia!" cried Hillary excitedly.

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Maizie.

"The legendary Pokémon that's revered as the Guardian of the Sea," added Kurt. "It saved Tristan just in time."

"Great!" growled Attila. "That big bird showed up."

"And it doesn't seem too friendly to us, either," added Hun.

"Lugia, stop them! They're after Celebi!" shouted Tristan.

Lugia stopped its barrier and angrily turned toward Attila's Skarmory. Then it opened its mouth and shot a powerful blue beam, scoring a direct hit on it and sent it flying right into Attila and Hun.

"That's Lugia's Aeroblast attack!" gasped Hillary.

"What power!" added Kurt. "I've never seen an attack this strong before."

"Come on, we've gotta get outta here!" advised Tristan. He then quickly took the G.S. Ball from the shrine so that nobody would steal it.

Lugia lowered its neck as Tristan, Hillary, Maizie, and Kurt scrambled on.

Then together, they quickly took off into the air and flew right above the thick trees of the Ilex Forest.

"Grr!" growled Attila. "They got away!"

"Relax, Attila," reminded Hun. "Getting that Celebi back to full strength may work to our advantage. And that kid'll be back soon enough."

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and their friends arrived at the Pokémon Center back in Azalea Town.

Pikachu and Celebi were rushed into the emergency room, although Pikachu's injuries weren't as serious.

_(Music Cue: Legend of the Forest)_

Tristan stood at the window as he watched the operation.

Hillary, Maizie, and Kurt all watched from a distance.

"Poor Tristan," said Maizie. "Why would someone attack him like that?"

"Apparently, he was protecting a rare Pokémon from harm," explained Kurt. "But what puzzles me is why a Lugia would come to his rescue at a time like this."

Tristan overheard the conversation and slowly came over to them. "It could be because of this." And he held his Silver Wing in his hands.

"The Silver Wing? Why would that help?" asked Hillary. "Oh, I remember! Lugia must have sensed that you were in danger!"

"What do you mean?" Tristan was confused.

"Of course!" said Hillary. "Don't you get it, Tristan? Ever since you and that Lugia first met, you two have shared a really strong bond. So once the Silver Wing glowed, it must have guided Lugia right to you!"

Tristan was flabbergasted. He couldn't believe that having the Silver Wing in his possession would ultimately help him in the end. "Of course, I didn't do anything. Lugia's the real hero."

"That's not quite true," reminded Kurt. "You protected that Celebi after it was attacked. And you escaped harm."

"Only because Lugia came and saved me."

"Oh, lighten up," said Hillary. "You've gotta stop doubting yourself. You're one of the bravest people I've ever known. You taught me about being brave, even in the face of danger. Remember, you were the one who saved Celebi in the first place by catching it after it took a direct hit from Skarmory's Sky Attack. So keep your chin up! Lugia would say the exact same thing if it was in my place."

Tristan could see that Hillary was right. He could see that Lugia wasn't the only hero...he was, too, especially now that he remember that he went out of the way to save Celebi the way he did. And he had caught Pikachu when it took a direct hit from Skarmory's Sky Attack. "Thanks, sis. I needed that." He then turned around to see Lugia seeing through the window in the bushes just out of sight. He was a little surprised. _Lugia must have heard everything, _he thought.

Sure enough, Lugia laid low outside as it listened to the conversation Tristan and Hillary had. _Hillary wasn't the only one who was taught about being brave, _it said to itself. _You taught me to stay strong and never give up even when the odds were against you._

Presently, Tristan heard the recovery signal ring. He rushed over to Nurse Joy as she came out of the emergency room with Pikachu. "Nurse Joy, how are Pikachu and Celebi?"

"Pikachu's just fine," answered Nurse Joy. "It didn't suffer any serious injuries, so I was able to treat it quickly."

Pikachu hopped into Tristan's arms. "You look so much better, pal."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Celebi will be fine, too," continued Nurse Joy, "but it will need to stay here overnight."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it, Tristan?" smiled Hillary.

Tristan nodded. He was glad to hear that Celebi would be back to full strength soon.

"I wish we could stay and help you take care of Celebi, Tristan," said Kurt. "But I have Apricorn Poké Balls to make." Then he yawned loudly.

"Actually, Grandpa," replied Maizie, "you need to catch up on your sleep. Remember, you made 14 Apricorn Poké Balls last night."

"I guess you're right, Maizie," laughed Kurt. "Hopefully, we'll see you kids tomorrow. Oh, I should think about contacting Professor Oak and follow up with him on the incredible secret about the G.S. Ball we uncovered today." And he and Maizie walked out.

"Bye, Kurt! Bye, Maizie!" called Tristan and Hillary as they left.

Hillary turned to Tristan. "We should check up on Lugia. It's probably wondering where you are."

Tristan agreed as he, Pikachu, and Hillary ran out of the Pokémon Center to meet it.

Lugia was waiting for them. _How is Celebi?_

"It'll be fine," answered Tristan. "It just needs to stay overnight." He then remembered. "I should thank you, Lugia, for saving my life. If it hadn't been for that Silver Wing, I would've been finished. You came just in time." And he embraced Lugia. "Oh, Lugia, I'm sorry I had to call you here. Please forgive me."

_Don't worry about it, _replied Lugia. _You and Pikachu are safe, and that's all that matters to me right now. I told you I'd protect you when you needed it. When I sensed the light from the Silver Wing, I instantly knew where you were._

"The Silver Wing also glowed because of the Ilex Forest Shrine," added Hillary. "Did it have something to do with Celebi?"

_It just might, _replied Lugia. _But we'll have to see if it works with other legendary Pokémon._

It was then that Tristan made his decision. "I want to keep an eye on Celebi."

Hillary was surprised. "But Tristan, how can you? You saw Celebi's reaction when you tried to meet it."

"I won't give up that easily," replied Tristan. "I'll let Celebi know that it can trust me. Remember, I helped calm Lugia down when it was in distress."

_That's true, _agreed Lugia. It seemed to understand what Tristan had to do. _All right, then. If you feel that strongly, then go for it. You taught me that, pal. And I'll be right here should you need me._

"So will I," added Hillary. "And I'll play with Lugia in the meantime."

"Thanks, guys," said Tristan. "I only wish I could play with Lugia myself.

_You can play with me after you tend to Celebi, _it said.

"Do you promise?"

_I promise._

"Come on, Pikachu," said Tristan. "We have a Celebi to watch." "And he and Pikachu went back inside the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Inside, Tristan walked over to the recovery room window. He saw Celebi sleeping peacefully. _Poor little Celebi, _he thought. _Getting all cooped up inside a G.S. Ball for a long time and then being released just to get attacked by two bad guys? No wonder Celebi doesn't have friends._

Presently, Nurse Joy walked in. "What's the matter?"

"I think I might know why Celebi's so shy," replied Tristan. He paused for a moment. "I think it might have been cooped up in this." And he took out the G.S. Ball.

Nurse Joy gasped in wonder. "Is that the legendary G.S. Ball?"

Tristan nodded. "Celebi hasn't had a chance to make any new friends for who knows how long, so while it was trapped inside the G.S. Ball, it couldn't freely travel through time to meet any human or Pokémon alike. It's bad enough for Celebi, but I'd feel especially sad if Pikachu had been in Celebi's place for all those years."

Pikachu agreed with him.

"But I think I know what might help," said Tristan.

"What?" asked Nurse Joy.

"As soon as Celebi's all better, maybe I can show it the world around it. That way it can make friends, and it can even do so at its own pace."

"You know, that might be a good idea," smiled Nurse Joy. "Going to different places and different times will certainly make it feel more free. And you can show it all the wonderful things that this world of ours has."

"Hey, Nurse Joy, would it be okay if I spent some time in the recovery room with Celebi?"

"Sure, go ahead," smiled Nurse Joy. "It's highly encouraged for every Pokémon Trainer to be with their Pokémon friends while they're recovering from their injuries."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Nurse Joy. I'll remember that." And he entered the recovery room with Pikachu. He saw Celebi lying in bed and gently stroked it. "Don't worry, Celebi. I'll be your friend. You can trust me. I promise."

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the Pokémon Center, Hillary, Togepi, and Lugia were laughing and having fun as they hit the beach ball.

But little did they know that Attila and Hun were still lurking about as they looked at the Pokémon Center from the distance.

"Well, it's no use trying to take that big Lugia," said Hun.

Attila reluctantly agreed. "Apparently, that kid must have triggered some instinct inside it when it was small. Those useless Rocket Grunts were blasted sky-high according to what Professor Namba told us.

"And even if we try to attack the kid, that Lugia will stop at nothing to protect him," added Hun. "Now we must figure out a way to capture that Celebi without bothering the kid. We'll deal with him another time."

And together, they cooked up a plan.

* * *

All was quiet that night as Hillary, Togepi, and Lugia slept peacefully outside the Pokémon Center.

Inside, Tristan, Pikachu, and Celebi slept in the recovery room.

Attila and Hun quietly entered the recovery room without making a sound.

"Let's just get that Celebi and get out of here," whispered Attila. "Then we'll be able to travel through time at our own free will."

"Fine, but try not to wake the kid up, huh?" said Hun.

"We'll soon show the world that Team Rocket never suffers defeat," agreed Attila.

Hun carefully picked up Celebi without waking Tristan up.

However, Pikachu's sensitive ears pricked up, and it burst awake at once.

"Uh-oh. Trouble," said Hun.

"Great," grumbled Attila. "I should've known that Pikachu was sensitive to everything." And he and Hun raced out the room, but not without banging into the door.

Celebi opened its eyes and saw itself being kidnapped. It then let out a yell as it struggled to break free.

"Quit your yapping, you!" yelled Attila.

"Shhh!" said Hun.

Unfortunately for the villains, all the yelling woke Tristan up out of a sound sleep. "What's going on?" he yawned. Then he saw Celebi in Hun's grip. "Celebi!"

"Nice going, smart mouth, you woke the kid up," grumbled Hun. "I told you specifically not to do just that."

"Forget him," replied Attila. "We have the Celebi, so let's just get outta here." And they raced out.

"Come back here!" shouted Tristan as he and Pikachu raced after the villains. He then rushed outside to warn everyone. "Wake up, everybody! We have an emergency!"

Everyone woke up just in time to see Attila and Hun's helicopter beginning to take off.

"What's going on?!" bellowed Hillary.

"They've got Celebi!" answered Tristan. "And they're getting away!"

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu covered their faces from the strong gust of wind coming from the helicopter's blades as it flew higher and faster as it slowly flew away.

When Lugia heard that Celebi was being kidnapped, it burst awake instantly. _Celebi's been kidnapped?! Do you know which way they went?_

"No, we don't," answered Tristan.

"Oh, no," said Hillary. "Does this mean that we lost Celebi for good?"

"I'm afraid so, sis," replied Tristan. "We've failed."

Pikachu felt sad, too.

Presently, Tristan's Silver Wing around his neck glowed.

"Now what's up?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know," replied Tristan.

Then, the Silver Wing acted like a flashlight and pointed the light in a westerly direction.

_What's with the weird flashlight? _asked Lugia.

"I'm not sure," said Hillary. "But if I had to guess, it must be guiding us toward something."

"Guys, look there!" exclaimed Tristan as he pointed to something in the sky.

Sure enough, the Silver Wing's light pointed to a small flying object getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

_It looks like it's pointing to that thing in the sky, _said Lugia. _But I wonder why?_

Presently Tristan realized that the light was pointing right to it. "Celebi, so that's where you are." He then gasped. "Guys, I may have figured out something!"

"Please tell us quickly!" said Hillary.

"Remember when the Silver Wing was able to sense the shrine when I had the G.S. Ball?" said Tristan. "Well, I may have just found out that the Silver Wing can detect the presence of legendary Pokémon that are nearby."

_You mean it can point us in the direction of the helicopter? _added Lugia.

"Yeah, and if we follow it, it'll lead us right to Celebi!" finished Hillary.

"Come on, let's go after them!" said Tristan.

Lugia nodded as it lowered its neck so Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu could climb on.

Togepi was put safely inside Hillary's backpack for its own safety.

Then together, they all took off into the sky as fast as Lugia's wings would carry them.

* * *

Inside the helicopter, Celebi looked very miserable.

"Those kids'll never be able to follow us," said Attila. "We've left them behind in our gusts of wind."

"I think they've picked up a second wind," replied Hun. "Look."

_(Music Cue: Legendary Birds Freed (both parts (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia")))_

Sure enough, Tristan and Hillary, sitting astride Lugia, were hot on Attila and Hun's trail.

"Don't worry, Celebi, we're coming to save you!" shouted Tristan.

Celebi heard Tristan's shouts and immediately brightened up.

"Impossible!" grunted Attila. "How did those blasted kids find us?!"

"Come on, Attila, stop them!" ordered Hun.

"Don't need to tell me twice," replied Attila as he threw his Poké Ball.

Skarmory emerged from the white light that shot out of it, causing Lugia to stop dead in its tracks.

"Skarmory, Steel Wing!" ordered Attila.

Skarmory's wings glowed brightly, and it charged at Lugia.

However, Lugia's quick reflexes allowed it to dodge the attack with ease.

"Give Celebi back now!" demanded Hillary.

"You're in no position to be making demands!" replied Attila. "Skarmory, Fury Attack!"

Skarmory charged at Lugia again and proceeded to peck at it furiously with its beak.

"We have to stop them! Squirtle, Water Gun attack!" commanded Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that came out of it and appeared on Skarmory's back. Then, it shot a blast of water from its mouth directly on it.

"That Pokémon's getting to be a real pain," growled Attila. "Skarmory, shake that thing off!"

Skarmory shook vigorously and pried Squirtle off, causing it to fall fast.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"Squirtle, return now!" cried Hillary as she quickly took out Squirtle's Poké Ball.

The red beam shot out of it and hit Squirtle, causing it to shoot back inside, thus saving it from its fall.

"There has to be some way to save Celebi from Team Rocket," said Hillary.

"Don't worry, Hillary, we'll figure something out, right, guys?" replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Lugia nodded in agreement.

"Skarmory, Sky Attack!" ordered Attila.

Skarmory charged at Lugia again as it surrounded itself in red flames.

"Here it comes!" said Hillary.

Sure enough, Skarmory flew closer and closer.

But Lugia knew what to do. Its body began to glow in a green aura, and it formed a protective barrier, thus stopping Skarmory from reaching it. It managed to repel Skarmory's Sky Attack.

Tristan was surprised. "What was that?"

_That was my Safeguard, _answered Lugia. _What do you think?_

"That was awesome!" said Hillary. "You must have been training."

Lugia nodded.

"That must've been what Lugia used to save me back in the Ilex Forest! Thanks, Lugia," said Tristan.

_Anytime, _replied Lugia.

Tristan turned to Hillary. "Hey, sis, maybe our Cyndaquil can slow Skarmory down."

"Let's try it," said Hillary.

Tristan threw his Fast Ball while Hillary threw her second Poké Ball.

Both Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan and Hillary together.

Both Cyndaquil shot powerful streams of fire from their mouths, scoring super-effective hits on Skarmory in the process.

"Now, let's save Celebi," said Tristan. "Do you think you can fly closer to the helicopter, Lugia?"

_You got it, _replied Lugia. _Just hold on tight. _Lugia dove below Skarmoy, then it flew above to get closer to the helicopter.

Hun saw them getting closer and got impatient. "Come on, Attila, stop them!"

"You heard what Hun said, Skarmory!" yelled Attila. "Stop them!"

But Skarmory was taking too much damage from the double Flamethrower attack to do anything about it.

"There's only thing left to do," said Tristan. "Hillary, see if you and Lugia can help the Cyndaquil keep distracting Skarmory long enough while Pikachu and I try and bring the helicopter down. That should give us just enough time to save Celebi."

Lugia nodded.

"Just be careful, Tristan," advised Hillary.

When Lugia was close enough, Tristan and Pikachu got ready to jump.

"Let's do this, Pikachu!" said Tristan. And he and Pikachu jumped off of Lugia and landed on the helicopter's tail.

Attila and Hun heard a thump on the helicopter. They knew what it was. "It's that kid!" they exclaimed.

"We've gotta get in there, Pikachu," said Tristan. "Blast through the window with your Thunderbolt."

Pikachu unleashed a yellow bolt of electricity at the window, shattering it, causing Attila and Hun to panic.

"Hun, do something! I can't do this alone!"

"I'm driving!"

Then, Tristan hopped from the tail, swung inside the helicopter, and confronted Attila and Hun. "It's over! Give Celebi back now!" And he grabbed the cage.

"No, you don't!" shouted Hun as he tried to stop him.

Unfortunately, the helicopter space was so small that it soon became cramped.

Attila was struggling to maintain control while Tristan and Hun fought over the cage.

"Give back Celebi or else!" demanded Tristan.

"Let go of the cage, kid!" barked Hun.

"Give it up!"

"You give it up!"

Meanwhile, Skarmory was having a difficult time battling against Lugia and the two Cyndaquil.

"That Skarmory sure means business," grunted Hillary. "But the Cyndaquil do, too."

Sure enough, both Tristan and Hillary's Cyndaquil kept blasting Skarmory with their Flamethrower attacks.

Inside the helicopter, Tristan held on to the cage for all it was worth. He had to stop Attila and Hun from succeeding in their evil plot.

"Can't your Skarmory handle the heat?" asked Hun in frustration.

"Hey, it's not my fault that Skarmory is vulnerable to Fire attacks!" retorted Attila.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" strained Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and unleashed a close-range bolt of electricity inside the helicopter, shocking Tristan, Celebi, Attila, and Hun.

Although Tristan and Celebi didn't mind the shock, Attila and Hun did, and so did the helicopter's controls.

The force of Pikachu's Thunderbolt was so strong that it caused an explosion, causing Celebi, still trapped in the cage, to fall out the window.

"No!" cried Attila and Hun together.

"Celebi!" shouted Tristan as he and Pikachu jumped out of the window after the cage.

Hillary saw the cage fall out, followed, of course, by Tristan and Pikachu. "Tristan!" she cried. She then turned to the Cyndaquil, who were still blasting Skarmory. "Cyndaquil, jump on!"

"And the Cyndaquil jumped off of Skarmory and landed on Lugia.

"Come on, Lugia, hurry!" urged Hillary.

Quickly, Lugia dove down after Tristan and Pikachu.

Inside the damaged helicopter, the systems were shutting down one by one.

"Arrgh!" snarled Attila. "That kid and that Pikachu messed up our helicopter! We'll never get that Celebi now!"

"You're right," agreed Hun. "Our only choice now is to retreat."

Attila nodded and took out Skarmory's Poké Ball. "Skarmory, return!"

A red beam shot out of the ball and hit Skarmory, causing it to turn into red energy and disappear back inside.

As for Attila and Hun, they turned the helicopter around and flew off into the night.

_(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Meanwhile, Tristan managed to grab the cage while Pikachu grabbed on to him. He kept struggling until at last, it was open.

Celebi quickly flew out of the cage.

However, Tristan and Pikachu were still falling and braced themselves.

Hillary and Lugia were desperately trying to catch up with them.

"We're not gonna make it in time!" said Hillary as she clung on to Lugia.

_Oh, yes, we will, _Lugia assured her. _Just hang on._

Suddenly, Tristan and Pikachu felt themselves stopping mid-fall as they glowed in a blue aura.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Flying Dragonite (Kairu))_

Then, who should appear but Celebi! It had saved them just in time, and flew around gracefully as Tristan and Pikachu floated next to it.

"That's Celebi's Psychic!" said Tristan excitedly. "Thanks, Celebi."

Celebi nodded cheerfully. It was glad to be free again.

Presently, Hillary and Lugia arrived.

"Tristan, are you okay?" she asked.

"Never better, sis!" called Tristan as he waved to her. "Just look! We're flying!"

Hillary sighed with relief as she saw Tristan and Pikachu waving to her. "So you are. Let's head back to the Pokémon Center!"

And together, they flew back to Azalea Town as the stars glistened through the night.

* * *

Some time later, they all landed outside the Pokémon Center. All the lights in the houses were off as the street lights lit up the town.

_Everything should be just fine, Tristan, _Lugia assured him. _Call me back anytime. _And Lugia took off into the night sky.

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

"Bye, Lugia!" called Tristan.

"Thank you!" called Hillary. "See you soon!"

And they both waved until Lugia was out of sight.

Hillary yawned loudly. "What a night. We'd better get to bed. It's pretty late."

"You're right, sis," agreed Tristan. "Hey, Celebi, do you want to stay with us for a while?"

Celebi happily nodded and accepted Tristan's offer. It was glad it found a human it could trust, especially since it was saved by him.

"All right, let's get to bed," said Tristan as he, Pikachu, Hillary, and Celebi all went inside.

In the bedroom, Tristan, Pikachu, and Celebi got into one bed while Hillary and Togepi got into another.

"Good night, guys," said Tristan. "Good night Pikachu."

"Good night," replied Hillary.

And everyone fell fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning, everyone woke up feeling refreshed, especially Celebi.

Celebi was flying all across the room as Tristan and Hillary got ready for the day.

Nurse Joy was waiting for them. "I'm very glad to see that Celebi's feeling much better. But how did it disappear from the recovery room like that?"

"Well," said Hillary sheepishly, "it's kind of a long story."

"Long story short, two Team Rocket guys showed up and we saved it," added Tristan.

Nurse Joy gave a good chuckle. "Makes perfect sense to me."

Presently, Maizie came in. "Hi, guys!"

"Good morning, Maizie," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"I just came to get these to you." And Maizie gave Tristan and Hillary fourteen different Apricorn Poké Balls, seven for each of them.

"Wow, thanks, Maizie!" said Tristan.

"Is Kurt feeling better?" asked Hillary.

Maizie nodded. "I think my Grandpa has learned his lesson. From now on, he promises not to wear himself ragged."

"You mean tire himself out?" asked Tristan.

"Yup," answered Maizie. "And Grandpa also says thank you for helping him figure out the mystery of the G.S. Ball."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Tristan opened up his backpack and took out the G.S. Ball. "I think Kurt should study it a little more. Plus, I think it would be best for Celebi to remain as free as possible."

Hillary agreed.

Maizie accepted the G.S. Ball. "Grandpa and I will take good care of it for you."

* * *

Just outside the Pokémon Center, Maizie was preparing to say goodbye to Tristan and Hillary. "Just go through the Ilex Forest, and you should be that much closer to reaching Goldenrod City."

"That's where Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart live," said Hillary.

"And where my next badge is," added Tristan.

"Good luck in the Johto League, guys!" called Maizie.

"Thanks, Maizie!" called Hillary.

"You take care!" added Tristan. "Say hi to Kurt for us!"

"I will!" replied Maizie. And she waved until Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi, and Celebi were out of sight.

"Well, that was one adventure I'll never forget," said Hillary.

"Yeah, but there are plenty more just around the bend," replied Tristan. "And with Celebi, we've added a new friend."

"Gee, Tristan, you're a poet and didn't know it," chuckled Hillary.

Tristan laughed as he and Hillary continued walking.

* * *

_Having made a new friend with the legendary Pokémon Celebi and saving it from Attila and Hun in the process, our heroes will make their way through the Ilex Forest for real, and with Celebi joining them for now, there'll be plenty of action and excitement followed by even more excitement. And soon, they'll be on their way to Goldenrod City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	32. SO FARFETCH'D SO GOOD

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 32 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Sylvester and his first Farfetch'd make an appearance, but I've also decided that I'd base this chapter from my adventures in the Ilex Forest on the HeartGold and SoulSilver version games, since the character has two Farfetch'd instead of one. Yosaku, Sylvester's boss or father, depending on how you look at it, makes a brief appearance in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After Tristan and Hillary get lost in the Ilex Forest, they find a Trainer named Sylvester, who has trouble maintaining his second Farfetch'd. Will they find a way to calm the Wild Duck Pokémon down?**

**Chapter 32. SO FARFETCH'D SO GOOD**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_After inviting Celebi to join the group for a while, our heroes continue their journey through the Ilex Forest, hoping to find their way out. But so far, they haven't found the right path._

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were walking through the Ilex Forest as Celebi flew alongside.

Tristan was still studying the map on his Poké Gear.

"Is something wrong, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"There's nothing wrong with me," replied Tristan. "But there's definitely something wrong with this map. I guess my Poké Gear's not gonna help us much."

"Well, maybe my Poké Gear can help us," said Hillary as she took out her Poké Gear. But she soon saw that she had the same problem. "That's weird. It looks like this thing keeps taking us in circles."

Tristan realized what that meant and sighed. "I guess that means we're lost."

"Well, there's only one thing to do," said Hillary. "Let's do lunch!"

"Now you're speaking my language!" agreed Tristan.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Prayer)_

As Tristan and Hillary sat down to lunch with Pikachu and Togepi, Celebi sat and watched from a high tree branch.

Tristan took notice of that and became concerned. "I guess Celebi's still a little shy," he said.

"Who'd blame it?" replied Hillary. "Who'd want to waste their life away rotting inside a cramped G.S. Ball with nowhere to go? I sure wouldn't."

Tristan agreed. "I really can't blame it for being so shy. Celebi sure looks right at home up there."

"It sure does," said Hillary. "Some Pokémon need to have their own space sometimes. Remember, most Pokémon aren't used to having new friends yet. My guess is that Celebi needed a little time to be by itself, especially after the harrowing experience with Team Rocket."

Tristan could see that Hillary was right. He noticed Celebi looking quite content on the high tree branch. But he decided to eat his lunch now and worry about Celebi later. He felt better with each bite.

Presently, Celebi slowly flew down to Tristan and noticed Tristan feeling a little sad.

Hillary noticed Celebi. "Tristan, look at this!"

Tristan saw that Celebi was right next to him and was a little surprised.

"I think Celebi wants to join us!" said Hillary.

"I think you're right," agreed Tristan. He then turned to Celebi. "Were you worried about me?"

Celebi nodded. It couldn't bear to see Tristan looking unhappy.

"Thanks, Celebi," said Tristan. "I guess I was foolish to think about feeling sad." He took out some Pokémon food from his backpack. "Do you want to try this? It's my homemade Pokémon food, and it's quite delicious."

Celebi took the pieces from Tristan and took a bite. It was so happy about the taste that it asked for more.

"You like it?" asked Tristan. He was so happy that a legendary Pokémon would like the homemade food he made. "Please have some."

Celebi was delighted as it chowed down.

"Well, that should cheer you up, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

Tristan agreed.

* * *

After lunch, Tristan and Hillary continued on their way with Pikachu and Celebi right behind.

Pikachu and Celebi got along very well as they followed.

"Those two must've hit it off well," smiled Tristan.

Hillary was just about to agree when a brown avian duck-like Pokémon flew right in front of her face. "Hey, watch it, you!"

But the Pokémon didn't listen. It just flew on.

"What nerve!" grumbled Hillary. "Who'd raise such a Pokémon to be that wild anyway?"

"Farfetch'd!" called a voice. "Farfetch'd, where are you?"

"Uh-oh," said Tristan. "Celebi, you'd better hide." He didn't want anyone else to know that he had a Celebi with him.

So under Tristan's advice, Celebi flew out of sight as a boy wearing light-blue clothes stepped out of the bushes.

"Excuse us, may we help you?" asked Tristan.

"My Farfetch'd has run away again," said the boy.

"What caused that to happen?" asked Hillary. "Did it not like its Trainer?"

"Hillary!" scolded Tristan.

"Sorry," whispered Hillary.

"I'm afraid you'll have to excuse my sister, Hillary," said Tristan. "She sometimes teases me, too, but I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"That's all right," replied the boy. "My name's Sylvester."

"Hi, I'm Tristan, and this is Pikachu," smiled Tristan. "And you've met Hillary."

"Hello, there," said Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Sylvester warmly.

Just then, another brown avian duck-like Pokémon flew in and landed next to Sylvester.

"Look! Another Farfetch'd!" said Tristan.

"That must be the one you trained not too long ago, right?" asked Hilary.

Sylvester nodded. He then turned to his Farfetch'd. "Hey, Farfetch'd, did you see the other Farfetch'd anywhere?"

Farfetch'd shook its head.

"Oh, no," said Sylvester. "It's starting to get darker. And these trees aren't making things any better. Maybe I should've just given up when I raised one Farfetch'd. I never have any luck with wild ones that don't do what I say."

"Don't worry, Sylvester," replied Tristan. "We'll help you look for your other Farfetch'd."

"You'd do that?" Sylvester was touched by Tristan's offer. "Thanks a lot, guys."

Just then, everyone heard rustling in the bushes.

Hillary then noticed a familiar looking beak sticking out. "Hey, could that be your other Farfetch'd?"

_(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "The Song of Jigglypuff"))_

Sylvester gasped, for sure enough, it was another Farfetch'd. "Farfetch'd! Come here!"

But the wild Farfetch'd didn't listen. It just taunted Sylvester.

"Come on, let's get it!" said Tristan.

Everyone yelled, "Charge!" as they ran to catch it, but unfortunately, the Farfetch'd knew they were coming and flew up, causing them to miss and fall through the bushes.

The Farfetch'd, however, flew above the bushes and laughed. It then flew off, leaving everyone else behind.

Everyone had collapsed into a heap.

"What just happened?" groaned Hillary.

"The Farfetch'd gave us the slip, that's what," replied Sylvester.

"Catching that Farfetch'd isn't as easy as it looks," agreed Tristan.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

A few moments later, everyone recovered.

"We need a new plan," said Sylvester.

"I agree," replied Hillary. "There must be some way to catch that Farfetch'd."

"What if we battle it?" suggested Tristan. "A good battle always helps burn off energy. So if we tire it out, we can catch it, and then we can train it together."

"That's a pretty good idea," smiled Sylvester. "Let's try it. But first, we need to find that Farfetch'd."

"I wonder what Dexter has to say about it," said Hillary as she looked up Farfetch'd's entry in her Pokédex.

_"Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pokémon. This extremely rare Pokémon can always be found holding a leek, or green onion, which it uses to build its nest."_

"The only difference is my second Farfetch'd has been acting really wild lately," said Sylvester. "I think it all started when all the Pokémon in this forest were all started getting anxious. The Farfetch'd I had just caught was getting that way, too, and so it decided to fly all over the forest to see what was going on."

Hillary turned to Tristan. "Well, should we tell him?"

Tristan nodded. He knew there was no choice but to talk about how they encountered Celebi. "We noticed the Pokémon going wild just a couple of days ago," he said. "Kurt, the Poké Ball expert took us to the Ilex Forest Shrine. He entrusted me with this." And he showed Sylvester the now opened G.S. Ball.

"Whoa!" gasped Sylvester. "What was inside it?"

"Apparently, the spirit that watches over this forest," answered Tristan. "It was trapped inside."

"Do you know the name of this spirit?" asked Sylvester.

Tristan took a deep breath, then he answered, "It was Celebi."

Sylvester could scarcely believe his ears. He never knew that the spirit who watched over the forest was a real Celebi. Unfortunately, he was so shocked that he didn't notice his second Farfetch'd flying right above him.

Pikachu instantly pricked its ears up and alerted everyone.

"Is something the matter, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Hillary heard flapping in the sky and looked up. "Guys, up there!"

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Everyone else looked up and saw the wild Farfetch'd flying above them.

The wild Farfetch'd saw them looking at it and quickly took off.

"Let's go after it!" said Tristan as he and his friends ran after it.

"Farfetch'd, could you help me catch the other Farfetch'd and bring it down here, please?" asked Sylvester.

His first Farfetch'd nodded and flew after the other one.

Then, Sylvester followed Tristan and Hillary.

The wild Farfetch'd continued to fly away from everyone on the ground.

"Listen to me, Farfetch'd!" cried Sylvester. "You've gotta get back down on the ground!"

But the wild Farfetch'd didn't listen.

Sylvester's first Farfetch'd soon caught up with it.

"Farfetch'd, Fury Attack!" ordered Sylvester.

His first Farfetch'd flew and tried to use its leek to attack, but the other Farfetch'd used its leek to defend.

"That Farfetch'd doesn't give up easily, does it?" remarked Tristan.

"There's gotta be a way that Sylvester can beat it, right, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

_Hmm, _thought Tristan. _I wish I could answer her. But I have no idea of the chances of that happening._

Just then, the second Farfetch'd flew higher and higher into the air.

"I don't know what that Farfetch'd is doing, but I doubt it's good!" said Hillary nervously.

And Hillary was all too right, for the second Farfetch'd quickly turned around and dove down.

"That other Farfetch'd flew up so it could build up speed to attack!" gasped Tristan.

And sure enough, that was what it was doing. Faster and faster it dove until it was within striking distance.

However, the first Farfetch'd didn't see it coming.

"Farfetch'd, look out!" cried Sylvester.

Unfortunately, Sylvester's warning came just an instant too late, for the second Farfetch'd had scored a direct hit by using Fury Attack, sending it plummeting.

However, Sylvester managed to catch it in his hands before it hit the ground. "Are you okay, Farfetch'd? Say something."

The first Farfetch'd nodded and gave a weak reply.

The second Farfetch'd then flew off.

"Well, battling it didn't work," grumbled Hillary. "Now what?"

"We think of something else, that's what," answered Tristan.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Sylvester thought about what they could do for what seemed like hours. Apparently, chasing the Farfetch'd had taken more of a toll on everyone than they realized.

"There has to be some way to get that Farfetch'd to come back to us," said Tristan. "But what?"

Sylvester looked all around. Then he saw something on the other side of the trees. "I think I know what might help," he said. "Follow me." And he led Tristan and the others to some thick sticks on the ground.

"Those are just sticks," said Hillary. She was confused.

"Not just any sticks," said Sylvester. "Those sticks always seem to make a cracking sound when stepped on. So when Farfetch'd hears them, it'll fly to where we are."

"Yeah, and then we can sneak up on it and catch it," agreed Tristan.

"And then it's mission accomplished!" added Hillary.

"But there's only one problem," said Sylvester. "When the Farfetch'd sees the person stepping on those sticks, it just flies off. I've tried doing that at least 50 times, but it doesn't seem to work.

"Then obviously, we're gonna have to work as a team to catch it," said Tristan. "We'll all split up in different parts of this area. Someone will have to step on the stick while the other two people are on both sides. Then one of us can catch it before it notices."

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Sylvester.

"Let's do it!" said Hillary excitedly. She couldn't wait for this plan to work. So she threw a Poké Ball, and her Squirtle came out of it.

* * *

A few moments later, everyone got into position. Tristan and Pikachu hid in the bushes on one side while Hillary, Squirtle, and Togepi hid on the other side.

Sylvester and his first Farfetch'd stood by while they waited.

Presently, the second Farfetch'd landed on the ground not too far away. Its back was turned toward Sylvester and his first Farfetch'd.

"Everything's working out perfectly," whispered Tristan to Pikachu. "Once Sylvester steps on the sticks, we'll put our part of the plan into effect.

Unfortunately, Sylvester's foot slipped, and he let out a yell as he fell to the ground, causing the stick to make a loud cracking sound.

The second Farfetch'd heard him and flew off in Hillary's direction.

"I hate being the fall guy," groaned Sylvester.

The second Farfetch'd flew toward Hillary and Squirtle, much faster than they had anticipated.

"I'm not sure if this was part of the plan," said Hillary to herself. "Squirtle, Water Gun now!"

Squirtle popped out of the bushes and unleashed a powerful blast of water in Farfetch'd's face, causing it to fly in the opposite direction right toward Tristan and Pikachu.

"Okay, Pikachu, it's our turn now," said Tristan. "Use your Thunderbolt attack!"

Pikachu leaped out of the bushes just as Farfetch'd flew toward it, and shot a yellow bolt of electricity at it.

The Farfetch'd manage to dodge it, but was now flying back in Sylvester's direction.

Sylvester managed to pick himself off the ground and had his back turned, but at the last second, he turned around and grabbed it. "Gotcha!" he shouted.

"All right!" said Tristan excitedly as he and Hillary appeared.

"Don't let it get away!" added Hillary.

"That's easier said than done!" grunted Sylvester as he struggled to keep a tight grip on his second Farfetch'd.

The Farfetch'd squirmed in Sylvester's arms as he held on tight.

Then, who should appear from the thick trees but Celebi.

"Hey, look, Celebi's come to help!" said Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

And it was, for it closed its eyes and it glowed in a blue aura, releasing waves of calming energy and emitting soothing bell-like sounds in the process.

The second Farfetch'd that was squirming instantly stopped squirming and relaxed.

"I wonder what that beautiful sound is," said Sylvester.

"Let's see," said Hillary as she looked it up in her Pokédex.

_"Heal Bell. This soothing sound has a calming effect that's so strong, it can cure any status abnormalities."_

"So that's Heal Bell," said Tristan. "I'm feeling calmer already."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary.

Everyone took the time to listen to the beautiful sound.

Pikachu, Squirtle, Togepi, and Sylvester's first Farfetch'd all felt the calming effects, too.

All the Pokémon living in the forest thought the sound was so beautiful that they all relaxed instantly.

"Celebi sure knows how to calm things down," remarked Hillary.

"I'll say," agreed Sylvester.

* * *

That evening, Sylvester led Tristan and Hillary to a little house in the middle of the Ilex Forest.

A man was waiting outside.

"I'm back, Dad!" called Sylvester.

"Ah, welcome back, Sylvester," his father said. "And I see you brought company this time."

"Tristan and Hillary helped me catch my second Farfetch'd while it was running wild," explained Sylvester.

"Well, all we did was help out...with Celebi's help of course," said Tristan.

"I can see that you three did a great job," said Sylvester's father. "I hope you learned something from this experience, Sylvester. You shouldn't give up on raising your Pokémon just because it's wild. You always have to find a way to calm it down without getting it worked up."

"I'll remember that, Dad, thanks," replied Sylvester.

"As for you two," said Sylvester's father, "I have some high-quality charcoal for you as a way of saying thank you for helping." And he handed the charcoal to Tristan and Hillary.

"Thank you so much, sir," smiled Tristan.

"We're very much obliged," added Hillary. "I never knew you made charcoal."

"My dad's been making charcoal for years with help from his Magmar," explained Sylvester.

Presently, Celebi pointed in a northerly direction and motioned Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu to follow it.

"I think Celebi may have found something," said Hillary.

"Well, we'd better get going, but thanks for this charcoal," added Tristan. And he and Hillary quickly followed Celebi.

"Bye, guys!" called Sylvester. "Thanks for everything!" And he and his father waved until they were out of sight.

* * *

It got dark as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu followed Celebi, but as they did, they noticed the forest getting thinner and thinner, until at last, they saw no more trees.

"We're out!" said Hillary excitedly. "I thought the Ilex Forest would never end."

"Hey, thanks for helping us get out of the Ilex Forest, Celebi," said Tristan. "You're a real friend."

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Celebi smiled and nodded as it gently touched Tristan's Silver Wing. And as it did, it flashed for a second.

"I wonder what that flashing is for," said Hillary. "Does that mean we've befriended another legendary Pokémon?"

"It has to be," replied Tristan.

Celebi then flew back into the forest as it waved to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

"Bye, Celebi!" they called as they and Pikachu waved back until Celebi had flown out of sight.

"That Celebi is a really cool Pokémon," remarked Tristan. "And it's real cute, too. I can't wait to see it again."

Pikachu agreed.

"We'd better find a place to stop for the night, sis," advised Hillary.

"I agree," replied Tristan. "And then we can head straight for Goldenrod City!"

Pikachu happily agreed.

* * *

They kept walking under the beautiful night sky until at last, they saw a building with a letter P on top of it.

"There's a Pokémon Center," said Hillary. "We can stop here tonight."

"All right," replied Tristan. "Let's go."

And they headed for the Pokémon Center with happy thoughts of their latest adventure fresh in their minds.

* * *

_And so, thanks to our heroes, Sylvester has his second Farfetch'd back, with some help from Celebi, of course. And now, out of the Ilex Forest at last, our heroes will soon be back on the road to Goldenrod City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	33. TAKEN FOR GRANITE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 33 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. The Onix Tunnel from the anime makes an appearance, and so does Taz from Tristan and Hillary's earlier adventures. Doesn't he know the meaning of the word "quit" yet? Anyway, please feel free to read and send responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: The Onix cause problems and believe that Tristan and Hillary are responsible for flooding the Onix Tunnel, their home, with water. It looks rocky for Tristan and Hillary, but there may be another culprit that's responsible, and it's up to Tristan and Hillary to get to the bottom of it.**

**Chapter 33: TAKEN FOR GRANITE**

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard at the beginning of "Forest Grumps"))_

_After getting a good night's rest at the Pokémon Center, our heroes continue their journey to Goldenrod City. But unsurprisingly enough, an obstacle lies ahead._

Tristan and Hillary, with Pikachu and Togepi, respectively, were walking on the road the next morning.

"According to what the Poké Gear says, there's a tunnel we can go through," said Tristan. "It's a shortcut that'll get us closer to Goldenrod City. It's called the Onix Tunnel."

"Why is it called the Onix Tunnel?" asked Hillary.

"It's where strong wild Onix are supposed to live," answered Tristan.

"Maybe we'd better not go through there," said Hillary nervously. "I don't like seeing big creatures in the dark."

"Aw, come on, don't be a scaredy cat," replied Tristan. "We can do it. I mean, what are the chances of Onix showing up in that tunnel and bothering us anyway?"

"How about a certainty?" answered Hillary. "We can't just blithely go through a dark tunnel without knowing what's inside, right?"

"But what about the Water Pokémon we have?" suggested Tristan. "They can help us out if the Onix attack us."

"Good point," smiled Hillary. "Why didn't I think of that? Okay, you convinced me. Let's go through the Onix Tunnel."

"That's the spirit!" said Tristan.

Hillary sighed. "I hate it when you make more sense than me, especially when I'm the one who tries to make sense around here."

"That's because I'm older and smarter."

"Who asked you?"

And they continued walking on the road.

* * *

Soon after, they came to the Onix Tunnel.

"I wonder how big this tunnel is," said Hillary.

"Who knows?" replied Tristan. "But no matter how big the tunnel is, we'll get through it." And Tristan, full of confidence, led Hillary and Pikachu into the Onix Tunnel.

The tunnel was full of stalactites and stalagmites, but it wasn't as dark as Tristan and Hillary feared.

Hillary was still nervous, however. "This place sure is quiet," she said. "Maybe a little too quiet."

"Don't worry, sis, as long as we leave the Onix alone, the Onix will leave us alone, too," replied Tristan.

They continued to walk through the tunnel, but there were no signs of any Onix anywhere.

"That's funny," said Tristan.

"What is?" asked Hillary.

"I was expecting the Onix to appear by now, but I don't see any."

Presently, they heard the sound of water.

"Listen," said Tristan. "Do you hear that?"

"All I hear is water dripping in the cave," replied Hillary. "But the sound of the water seems to be everywhere."

Then, there was a big rumbling sound.

"What was that?" asked Hillary, who by this time was getting very nervous.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Presently, a trio of rocky snake-like Pokémon made their appearance and stampeded toward Tristan and Hillary at breakneck speed.

"Well, there are the Onix!" said Tristan.

"And they're coming right at us!" exclaimed Hillary.

There was nothing left to do but run for it, so they ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

"But why are they chasing us?" asked Tristan.

"I don't think they're chasing us, Tristan!" said Hillary. "I think something's chasing them!"

"How do you know that?" asked Tristan.

"Let's think about this logically later!" advised Hillary.

Just then, they saw an opening in the distance.

"Quick, over there!" cried Tristan. And he led Hillary and Pikachu to the opening in the cave just as the Onix closed in on them.

The Onix rolled in the other direction and right out of the cave without hurting Tristan and Hillary.

Just then, they saw a flood of water rushing into the cave in the direction of the Onix.

And as it did, the water grew higher and higher.

"Look, guys, water!" gasped Tristan.

"So that's what's been chasing the Onix," said Hillary. "But who or what could've done this?"

"We'll answer that question later, sis, but right now, we need to get outta here," said Tristan as he took out a Poké Ball. "Blastoise, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball opened and Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Good idea!" said Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball. "Lapras, go!"

Her Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan and Hillary clambered on Blastoise and Lapras respectively.

"All right, Blastoise, let's get out of this cave before it's too late!" commanded Tristan.

"You heard him, Lapras, full speed ahead!" added Hillary.

Blastoise and Lapras swam for the entrance as fast as they could go as Tristan and Hillary held on tight.

As the water rushed out of the cave, so did Tristan and Hillary on Lapras and Blastoise.

Thanks to their quick thinking, they escaped the cave without injury.

"Phew!" said Hillary. "That was really close." She took out Lapras' Poké Ball. "Thanks, Lapras, you were perfect."

"You, too, Blastoise," added Tristan as he and Hillary returned Blastoise and Lapras to their Poké Balls.

"Now we just have to figure out what caused the flood to happen," said Hillary. "Any ideas?"

"Well, we could fly over the Onix Tunnel," said Tristan. "...if Charizard was here. And I'm sure Lugia would be here to help us out, but I don't think this is a situation where I would need its help that much."

"Well, what do you suppose we do?" asked Hillary. "We can't fly over it. And we don't have any Flying Pokémon that can help us scour the area. And we can't climb over it. It's too high for us to climb anyway. And if we slip, we'd be goners."

_(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

Presently, the three Onix appeared out of nowhere again.

"It's the Onix!" gasped Hillary.

The Onix glared at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu warily.

"They look kind of mad, don't they?" said Tristan.

"But why?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "They must think that we're the ones who sent that flood of water in the Onix Tunnel in the first place."

"No! But why?" gasped Hillary.

"You just asked that."

"Okay."

The Onix continued to glare at Tristan and Hillary and prepared to attack them.

"Hold on, Onix!" implored Tristan. "We understand that the Onix Tunnel is your home, your natural habitat. And we just wanted to get through. But I promise that we aren't the ones who flooded your cave!"

"Tristan's right, Onix!" added Hillary. "We'd never do anything to hurt you! Please believe us!"

The Onix continued to eye them warily.

Then one of them, which was the biggest of the three, slithered forward toward Tristan.

"I guess this one must be the leader," said Tristan to himself.

Then the Onix growled something to him.

"What's it saying?" asked Tristan. He couldn't understand Onix growls.

"I don't know, Tristan," replied Hillary. "But if I were to guess, I'd say that Onix wants to have a one-on-one battle with you."

"A battle?" Tristan couldn't believe his ears. He never knew that an Onix would challenge him to a battle.

"That Onix must want to challenge you to a battle to prove that we're no threat to them," explained Hillary.

"Is Hillary right, Onix?" asked Tristan. "Do you want to battle with me?"

The Onix nodded.

"All right, I accept!" said Tristan.

The Onix roared loudly and prepared to battle.

"Venusaur, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Good call," said Hillary. "Venusaur should be a good match for Onix. Its Grass-type characteristics should help it defeat the Onix with no problem."

The big Onix used its tail for a Slam attack.

"Venusaur, Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at the big Onix.

The big Onix didn't seem to feel the attack at first, but it was doing some damage to it. However, that didn't keep it down, for it charged at Venusaur and used its tail in an attempt to wrap it around Venusaur.

"That Onix is using Bind attack!" gasped Hillary.

"Venusaur, Vine Whip!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur shot multiple vines from the flower on its back and managed to stop Onix before its Bind attack could be executed.

The big Onix still wouldn't give up without a real fight, though, for it charged full-body style at Venusaur and scored a hit on it.

But Venusaur managed to stand strong.

Then the big Onix bashed against the rocky walls of the cave, causing the rocks to fall in a rock slide.

"That's a Rock Throw attack!" cried Tristan. "Dodge it, Venusaur!"

Venusaur managed to dodge the falling rocks just in time.

"Be very careful, Tristan," advised Hillary. "This is one very strong Onix that Venusaur's going up against."

"Fire Leech Seed, Venusaur!" instructed Tristan.

Venusaur fired a brown seed from its flower at the big Onix.

As the seed landed on the big Onix, it sprouted, and it began to shock Onix, causing it to lose energy.

"Perfect, Venusaur!" commended Tristan.

Venusaur nodded,

"Yeah, that was great!" said Hillary. "Leech Seed is making Onix weaker and helping Venusaur get stronger."

"All right, Venusaur, we got it on the run, so let's finish it off," said Tristan. "Get ready to use your SolarBeam attack!"

Venusaur nodded as the flower began to absorb light from the sun's rays in the sky as fast as it could.

_I know it's risky,_ thought Tristan. _But once Venusaur charges up for SolarBeam, we should be able to finish it off in one shot._

The big Onix, still under Leech Seed's effects, was struggling to maintain control of the battle. Soon, it charged in full-body style at Venusaur.

"Venusaur's in trouble!" cried Hillary.

But Venusaur had charged up enough energy in its flower to attack.

"No it isn't," said Tristan. "SolarBeam!"

Venusaur fired a blast of solar energy from its flower directly at Onix, scoring a huge direct hit and sending it careening into the ground.

The big Onix had been knocked out.

The other two Onix then realized beyond a doubt that Tristan and Hillary were telling the truth, and no longer glared at them.

"Hey, look!" gasped Hillary. "The Onix stopped being angry with us!"

"They must've realized that we weren't here to hurt it," added Tristan. He turned to Venusaur. "Thanks, Venusaur, great job."

Venusaur nodded.

"Hey, I just thought of something," said Hillary. "Why don't we use Venusaur's Vine Whip to see what the cause of the flooding in the cave was?"

"Good idea, sis," agreed Tristan. "I'm surprised I didn't think of it. Okay, Venusaur, let's..."

But before Tristan finished issuing his command, the big Onix managed to get back up and came to Tristan.

"What is it, Onix?" asked Tristan.

"I think it wants to help you to the top of the cave," replied Hillary.

"Is that true, Onix?" asked Tristan.

The big Onix growled and nodded. Then it lowered itself to the ground and allowed Tristan to get on its rocky head. Once he was on, the big Onix raised itself as high as it could.

But what Tristan saw on the other side of the Onix Tunnel gave him a big shock.

There stood a familiar man with a beard, and he had a blue bipedal Pokémon with muscular arms shooting a Hydro Punp inside the cave.

The Pokémon had a swirl on its chest and bulbous eyes, and it looked very mean.

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Superhero Secret"))_

"It's Taz," whispered Tristan to himself. "I should've known that he would be behind the flood in the Onix Tunnel."

"Hey, Tristan, do you see anything up there?" called Hillary.

"Yes, I do!" replied Tristan as the big Onix lowered itself to the ground, allowing him to dismount. "Some muscular Pokémon is intentionally flooding the Onix Tunnel, and Taz is with it."

"Taz again?" fumed Hillary. "Man, I've about had it with this guy!"

"There's only one thing to do, and that's to stop Taz," said Tristan as he took out Venusaur's Poké Ball. "Venusaur, return!"

Venusaur was returned to its Poké Ball instantly.

"Let's go get him!" said Hillary as she went into the Onix Tunnel.

"Wait up, sis!" called Tristan. He then turned to the three Onix. "You three should stay out here in case Taz and his Pokémon decide to flood the cave again.

The Onix nodded.

Then Tristan followed Hillary inside the Onix Tunnel.

* * *

On the other side of the Onix Tunnel, Taz was chuckling gleefully to himself. "Heh heh heh heh. Those Onix don't stand a chance against me thanks to Poliwrath's Hydro Pump. Soon they'll be mine! Go, Poliwrath, shoot another Hydro Pump inside that cave!"

Poliwrath unleashed a powerful blast of water from the center of its chest into the Onix Tunnel causing the water the flood the cave again.

Unfortunately, Tristan and Hillary didn't see the Hydro Pump coming and got blasted by it, causing them and Pikachu to hit the damp ground.

No one was hurt, but Hillary was most upset. "The nerve of that guy!" fumed Hillary. "Just wait until I get my hands on him!"

It was then that Tristan saw the blast of water coming into the cave. "So that's how the Onix got chased out of the cave. It's time to freeze his plans." And he took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's directions.

"Blastoise, freeze that Hydro Pump with your Ice Beam!" commanded Tristan.

_(Opening M01B 1997-1998)_

Blastoise shot a powerful blast of cold energy from its mouth at the Hydro Pump, causing it to be frozen.

Unfortunately for Poliwrath, however, it found itself stuck to the frozen Hydro Pump attack.

Now it was Taz's turn to be upset. "Hey, what's going on here?"

Suddenly, Poliwrath found itself flying into Taz thanks to Blastoise's Skull Bash attack.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu then made their appearance.

"That's as far as you're gonna get, Taz!" said Tristan.

Taz managed to get back on his feet. "Just great, it's youse two again!" he fumed.

Hillary was surprised to see Poliwrath. "Who's that Pokémon?"

"Let's check it out," said Tristan as he scanned Poliwrath with his Pokédex.

_"Poliwrath, the Tadpole Pokémon. Poliwrath is an excellent swimmer, and its powerful muscles make its attacks extremely effective."_

"Ha!" laughed Taz. "So how do you like my new friend, kids? We were just soaking up a good time flooding the Onix Tunnel."

"You're gonna pay for disrupting the Onix's habitat!" shouted Hillary as she took out a Poké Ball. "Go, Sentret, I choose you!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Tunnel Vision"))_

Hillary's Sentret emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So that's how you wanna do it, huh? Fine by me," smiled Taz. "Poliwrath, take care of that pipsqueak."

Poliwrath charged into battle and prepared to attack.

"Sentret, use Tackle attack!" commanded Hillary.

Sentret charged full-body style towards Poliwrath.

"Poliwrath, use Water Gun attack now!" instructed Taz.

Poliwrath shot a powerful blast of water at Sentret, scoring a direct hit on it and sending it falling to the ground.

"Don't give in, Sentret!" encouraged Hillary.

Fortunately, Sentret managed to stand its ground and used its tail to stand itself back up.

"What's the matter?" taunted Taz. "Is your pipsqueak all wet? Well, let's see what another Water Gun attack does to you."

Poliwrath shot another blast of water from its chest at Sentret.

"Quick, Sentret, Defense Curl!" shouted Hillary.

Instantly, Sentret rolled into a ball and shielded itself from any more damage from Poliwrath's Water Gun.

"Looks like your little pipsqueak doesn't know when to give up," said Taz. "Give it a DoubleSlap!"

Poliwrath used its big hands to slap Sentret furiously over and over, giving it no time to counterattack.

"Sentret!" cried Hillary.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Tristan. "Sentret's getting pulverized by that DoubleSlap attack!"

"Now for the grand finale," smirked Taz. "Poliwrath, DynamicPunch!"

Poliwrath formed a huge fist using its hands. Then as its hands glowed white, it charged and struck the little Sentret hard.

"No!" cried Hillary.

"Now, another Water Gun attack!" ordered Taz.

Poliwrath shot another powerful blast of water from its chest at Sentret sending it careening into a tree.

The force of the attack was so strong that Sentret couldn't move.

"Sentret!" cried Hillary.

"Now, it's time for my star battler," said Taz as he took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Electabuzz, I choose youse!"

Taz's Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Now that we have our water, Electabuzz, let's give it a real shock," said Taz. "Give it a Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz focused its electricity and shot a powerful bolt of it in Sentret's direction.

Sure enough, the water from Poliwrath's Hydro Pump conducted Electabuzz's electricity and struck Sentret full force, shocking it.

"Sentret...this can't be," said Hillary to herself. She couldn't believe that two Pokémon would gang up on her little Sentret. She became very angry and shouted, "Hey, Taz, two against one's no fair!"

"I don't play fair, kid, I play to win," smiled Taz.

But suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Sentret was bathed in a bright white light.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conqured (as heard in "Grin to Win"))_

The light was so strong and forceful that Electabuzz's Thunderbolt connection was severed, and Electabuzz was sent flying backward.

"Whoa, what's going on?" gasped Hillary.

Tristan knew what that light meant. "Sentret's starting to evolve!"

Sure enough, Sentret's body began changing from a little scout that could stand on its tail to a Pokémon with a slim body.

When the light stopped, Sentret had cream colored fur with dark brown rings around the length of its body.

Quickly, Hillary checked the new Pokémon on her Pokédex for information.

_"Furret, the Long Body Pokémon, the evolved form of Sentret. It builds a nest to suit its long and skinny body. The nest is impossible for other Pokémon to enter."_

"Awesome!" said Hillary excitedly. "Okay, Furret, let's show Taz and Electabuzz what we're made of!"

Furret agreed excitedly.

"Go get 'em, Hillary!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu watched.

"Go, Furret, Quick Attack now!" ordered Hillary.

Furret streaked toward Electabuzz with a white line trailing behind it, much faster than when it was a Sentret.

Tristan and Pikachu were surprised at Furret's incredible speed.

"Wow, that's fast!" said Tristan.

It certainly was, for Furret scored a direct hit on Electabuzz before it could react.

"Don't just lie there, Electabuzz, get up!" barked Taz.

Electabuzz struggled to its feet.

"Poliwrath, Electabuzz, go show that conceited pipsqueak that we mean business!" shouted Taz.

Poliwrath and Electabuzz charged in to attack Furret at once.

"You know what to do, Furret!" commanded Hillary.

Poliwrath used Hydro Pump while Electabuzz tried using Thunderbolt on Furret, but unfortunately, Furret was too quick for them as it dodged both attacks using Quick Attack.

"Guess I should've warned you, Taz," smiled Hillary. "Furret may look small and cute, but it's strong and fast, too."

Taz was seething in anger as Poliwrath and Electabuzz wore down by Furret's incredible speed.

"Now, Furret, show them what you can really do!" shouted Hillary.

Furret charged in and used its tail to slam Poliwrath and Electabuzz hard onto the ground.

"That was a hard Slam!" said Tristan.

"Furret, finish them off with Quick Attack!" ordered Hillary.

Furret streaked toward a defenseless Poliwrath, Electabuzz, and Taz with a white line trailing behind it, and it scored a direct hit on all of them sending them skyward.

"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" screamed Taz as he and his Pokémon disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"Furret, way to go!" cheered Hillary.

Furret ran into Hillary's arms and embraced her.

"You were unbelievable," said Hillary.

Furret nodded as it and Hillary continued their hug.

"Awesome job, Hillary," commended Tristan.

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Hillary, "but the real thanks should go to my newly evolved Furret. Now that that's done, we can get the Onix back inside the Onix Tunnel where they belong."

"But how will we do that?" asked Tristan. "The other side of the tunnel must be far away by now."

"Show him, Furret," said Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Route 26 (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Furret nodded and dug a hole in the ground.

"Wait a minute, where'd Furret go?" asked Tristan.

"Trust me, it knows where it's going," replied Hillary.

* * *

On the other side of the Rock Tunnel, Furret emerged from underground and informed the Onix that it was safe to go back inside the Onix Tunnel.

In no time, the Onix slithered back inside the cave.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary felt the rumbling from the Onix's movements from their side of the Onix Tunnel a moment later.

"Well, here they come," said Hillary. "Just as Furret and I planned."

Sure enough, as the Onix came, the rumbling got more and more intense. They appeared on the other side of the tunnel in front of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's eyes. They felt right at home back inside the Onix Tunnel.

Furret emerged from the hole it dug a moment later.

"Super job, Furret," commended Hillary as she stroked it on the head.

Furret nodded happily.

"That Furret of yours is pretty incredible," said Tristan.

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Hillary. "I did put a lot of hard work and effort into raising it, after all."

The Onix growled in gratitude toward Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they waved goodbye.

"Bye, Onix!" called Tristan and Hillary. "Take care!"

The Onix growled and replied back.

"Well, that was an adventure," remarked Tristan. "I'm glad that the Onix decided to trust us thanks to me."

"And I'm glad that Taz is gone thanks to me," added Hillary.

"Well, I guess it was another team effort, right?"

"Right," chuckled Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

* * *

_And so, our heroes help out Pokémon in need of help and defeat the Pokémon poacher, Taz, in the process once again. __Case in point, a trio of Onix. __They've had many successful adventures so far. But will Tristan have as much success when he competes in the Johto League? We'll see, won't we?_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	34. HEROES AND SUPERHEROES

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here's chapter 34 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they progress through the Johto region. I decided to have Latoya Parker from the anime as well as Gligar make an appearance in this chapter as someone who signs autographs. Even though she's closer to Azalea Town than Goldenrod City, I thought about giving her a role as she signs autographs. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After Togepi gets saved by a superhero named Gligirl, Hillary is anxious to meet her in person; however, Tristan is skeptical about superheroes. But when Gligirl's up to her neck in trouble, it'll be up to Hillary and Tristan's belief in her and Gligirl in order to save the day!**

**Chapter 34: HEROES AND SUPERHEROES**

_(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo Strikes Back"))_

_Our heroes are still on the road to Goldenrod City, but today they're stopping for a midday break._

Tristan and Hillary were just setting up lunch in the middle of a clear meadow.

"Come on out, everyone, it's time to eat!" said Tristan as he excitedly tossed his Poké Balls in the air.

"You, too, guys, you heard what Tristan said!" added Hillary as she tossed her Poké Balls in the air.

Tristan's Venusaur, Blastoise, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of his Poké Balls while Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Furret, and Lapras emerged from the white lights that shot out of hers.

Most of the newer Pokémon were a little nervous around Furret.

"There's no need to be suspicious, guys," Hillary assured them. "Furret evolved from Sentret."

The Pokémon felt better after that.

Little did everyone know that a familiar bearded man was hiding from some bushes, and was sneaking behind them. Quickly, he snatched the littlest Pokémon he could find, which was Hillary's Togepi, and covered its mouth so its cries couldn't be heard.

Everyone was just about to eat when Hillary looked around. "Has anybody seen Togepi?"

"It was right next to Pikachu last I checked," replied Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Superhero Secret"))_

Presently, everyone heard the sound of a motorcycle coming right at them. Quickly, they got out of the way.

Tristan was most annoyed. "Hey, watch where you're going, fella!"

Next, they heard the cries coming from Togepi.

Hillary was most alarmed. "Togepi!" she cried. She then got angry. "All right, who did that?!"

Then familiar cackling could be heard in the distance.

Tristan and Hillary knew who that was. "It's Taz!" they exclaimed.

"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Taz. "See, I told you I'd have my revenge, and now this little Togepi is mine."

"Give back my Togepi!" shouted Hillary.

"Quick, Venusaur, stop him with your Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur shot multiple vines from its flower and stretched them out as far as they could go, but unfortunately, he was just a little out of reach for the vines to connect.

"No!" grunted Tristan. "He's going too fast!"

Taz stopped his motorcycle briefly and gloated in triumph. "Well, this is what I call the perfect payback. If it hadn't been for your Furret, I would've had my big Onix prize, but I can be flexible enough to steal a cute Pokémon like Togepi instead."

"You won't get away with this, you rotten crook!" shouted Tristan.

"Yeah, give Togepi back!" added Hillary.

"Oh, yeah? Try and make me," said Taz as he started roaring off on his motorcycle again.

But just then, a purple bat-like Pokémon with a round head and body swooped in right in front of Taz and landed on his face, blinding him, and forcing him to crash his motorcycle.

But just before Taz crashed, the Pokémon grabbed Togepi and flew it right back to Hillary.

"Togepi!" said Hillary as she happily reunited with it in her arms. "Are you okay?"

Togepi chirped happily.

Hillary looked at the purple bat-like Pokémon. It had long, triangular ears, two pointed teeth, two pincers, two blue wing membranes, and a long tail ending with a stinger. "Who's that Pokémon?" she wondered as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Gligar, the FlyScorpio Pokémon. Gligar uses the cape-like wings on its back to glide from tree to tree quickly and quietly."_

Taz slowly picked himself up and grew angry. "All right, whose Pokémon is that?!" he demanded.

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

It was then that everyone heard a heroic feminine voice. "Children, prepare, and evildoer, beware!"

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. "Who's that?"

A feminine figure stood tall on a nearby tree branch, and was wearing a similar Gligar costume. "Evil never prevails...as long as there's Gilgirl!"

Hillary was impressed. "Now she's my kind of superhero!" she said. "Gligirl, you're the best!"

Tristan was skeptical at first. "Oh, please. Superheroes don't exist...do they?"

"Hey, goily-goil, I don't have time for this," said Taz. "Now if you'd be so kind as to let me get back to what I was doing..."

_(Music Cue: Flying Dragonite (Kairu))_

But Gilgirl wouldn't listen. "Gligar, Poison Sting attack now!"

Gligar's tail glowed and it shot poisonous needles from it right at Taz, who ran around frantically trying to dodge Poison Sting.

"Gligar, use Swift attack now!" commanded Gligirl.

Gligar shot a barrage of white stars from its body at Taz.

Taz tried to dodge Gligar's Swift attack, but to no avail, as the stars kept hitting him like a barrage of angry Beedrill.

Quickly, Taz got back on his motorcycle and roared off. "This isn't over, kiddies! I'll be back!"

Gligirl jumped down from the tree branch and walked over to Tristan and Hillary. "Are you two all right?"

"We are now," answered Hillary. "Thank you so much for saving my Togepi. I don't know what to say."

"Think nothing of it," replied Gligirl. She looked at the collection of Tristan and Hillary's Pokémon. "Now those are some really cool Pokémon. I wish I could stay and play with them, but I must go, for Gligar and I have business elsewhere." And she and Gligar disappeared into the bushes.

A moment later, a motorcycle leaped out of the bushes and sped off with Gligirl riding on top of it.

"Wow, Tristan, wasn't that cool or what?" said Hillary excitedly. "A superhero comes to our rescue and saves my Togepi! Let's meet GliGirl in person and thank her! Sound good?"

"But Hillary, you heard what Gligirl said, didn't you?" replied Tristan. "She can't stay in one place for too long."

"But I've just gotta meet her!" insisted Hillary.

"Hey, wait a minute," said Tristan suspiciously. "How did you become a fan of this Gligirl all of a sudden?"

"I'd been reading comics that had Gligirl in them before we started our journey together," answered Hillary. "I can't believe you've never heard of Gligarman or Gligirl. Gligirl's my personal favorite over Gligarman. Let's have our lunch and go! After all, we wouldn't want to travel on an empty stomach, would we?"

Tristan sighed. "I suppose not."

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi came to a town some time later. There they saw posters and action figures of Gligirl.

"This Gligirl is everywhere," said Tristan. "No wonder she's so popular here."

"Now that I've seen how likable, sweet, beautiful, and strong-willed Gligirl is, I wanna meet her even more!" said Hillary. She then noticed a crowd of people lining up for something. "Come on, Tristan!" And she dragged Tristan by the arm.

When they got to the crowd, they saw a teenage girl with maroon hair at a stand signing autographs.

"I wonder if this person knows anything about Gligirl," said Tristan.

"Or who she is," added Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary waited in line for what seemed like hours.

When the line cleared out, they were the only two people left, along with Pikachu and Togepi.

"Hi, there," said Tristan.

The maroon-haired woman turned around. "Hi there," she said. "Can I help you?"

"We came here to learn about Gligirl and why she's so popular here," replied Hillary. "I'm a big fan of her and have been for years. I remember getting the latest comic book from my grandmother for my birthday. My name's Hillary and this is my brother Tristan, and our Pokémon, Pikachu and Togepi."

"Hello," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted the girl warmly.

The teenage girl introduced herself. "My name's Latoya Parker. It's nice to meet you especially someone who's a big fan of Gligirl. My father's the owner of a toy store in another town, but he couldn't make it because he's been battling the flu, so he asked me to fill in for him."

"We're sorry to hear that, Latoya," said Tristan. "I hope your father gets better soon."

"So where did the idea of Gligirl come from anyway?" asked Hillary.

Latoya shrugged. "Well, I guess I...

But just then, a Gligar showed up and used its tail as a threat to Hillary.

"Eek!" shrieked Hillary.

"Gligar!" scolded Latoya. "Why can't you behave yourself just this once?"

Gligar lowered its head in shame.

"Wait a second," said Tristan. "If you have that Gligar, doesn't that mean..."

Tristan and Hillary both gasped and exclaimed, "You're Gligirl?!"

Latoya shushed them.

Fortunately, nobody else was around, so nobody heard the conversation.

"I need you to make a promise to me," whispered Latoya. "You must never say anything about my Gligirl identity, okay? I don't want word going around this town or anywhere else. Do you promise?"

"We promise, Latoya," said Tristan.

"My lips are sealed," agreed Hillary. "But I'm still curious about how Gligirl came into existence, though."

"Actually, the idea of Gligirl came from the beginning of Gligarman," explained Latoya as she began to tell the story.

* * *

"My father wasn't selling enough toys in his toy store. He tried everything, but no matter how much he did, he just couldn't be successful at it. So he decided to invent Gligarman and wrote stories on him. Then one day he decided to become Gligarman because it felt so fulfilling to him than just being a regular businessman. He then had Gligarman toys because the Gligarman stories were so popular. Soon everybody in the store was buying Gligarman merchandise and comic books, and soon, my father was the best businessman in the city."

* * *

"But when my father and my friend Ash were tied up by that nasty Team Rocket not long ago, I decided to come to his rescue as Gligirl," continued Latoya. "I wanted to prove that he isn't the only hero in the town, plus when he retires, I can help save the citizens of the city that I call home."

"That's a great story, Latoya," said Tristan. "Your father must be real proud of you."

"That Gligar may be ill-mannered," said Hillary, "but I do owe it my gratitude for its help for saving Togepi today."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"As my father would say," smiled Latoya, "Gligar wants to fight for the right and help people who are really in trouble."

Tristan and Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Just then, the sound of a whistle could be heard.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in alarm.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Superhero Secret"))_

"It's the Gligar Whistle!" replied Latoya. "There's some kind of trouble...big trouble! Gligar, let's go!" And she ran off.

Gligar nodded and flew off after her.

A moment later, a motorcycle emerged as Latoya, now in her Gligirl costume rode off to the source of the trouble with Gligar following in hot pursuit.

"Come on, we'd better follow her," advised Hillary to Tristan. "She may be a superhero, but she may be getting into super-trouble."

Tristan nodded in agreement as she and Tristan ran after her as fast as they could.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Taz, now dressed in a supervillain costume, was terrorizing several innocent people using his Electabuzz's electricity.

They were all tied up in a group circle thanks to his new Spinarak's String Shot.

"So which one of youse is gonna help me unmask this Gligoil?" asked Taz.

The citizens all quivered in fear as Electabuzz got ready to use a Thunder Punch.

"Come on, youse guys, it ain't a tough choice," smirked Taz. "Just one of you gets to help me and you all go free. Nothing to it."

Presently, Gligar flew to the scene and attacked Electabuzz using its Poison Sting.

"Electabuzz!" gasped Taz in shock. Then he got angry. "All right, who did that?"

"You leave those people alone!" That voice belonged to Gligirl as she made her appearance. "How dare you come here and terrorize them!"

"Well, look who decided to show up," smirked Taz. "You may have gotten me with my guard down last time, Gligoil, but this time, we're ready for you."

"You won't be ready for this," replied Gligirl. "Gligar, Swift attack now!"

Gligar's tail glowed and white stars shot out from it toward Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, give it a Quick Attack," instructed Taz.

Electabuzz jumped up and streaked toward Gligar with a white line trailing behind it while at the same time, dodging Gligar's Swift attack. It came so fast that Gligar didn't have time to dodge the attack as it was struck hard, much to Gligirl's shock.

"Gligar, no!" cried Gligirl.

Gligar crashed onto the ground.

"Now it's your toin," said Taz. "Okay, Spinarak, let's tie her up."

Taz's Spinarak shot white sticky string from its mouth and tied Gligirl's arms and legs.

As a result she fell to her side on the ground.

"I hope youse had a nice fall," smiled Taz.

Gligirl strained as she tried to break free from Spinarak's String Shot attack.

There was worse to come as Spinarak started glowing in a white light.

_(Music Cue: Cause for Alarm)_

The citizens gasped in horror as Spinarak grew bigger and bigger.

When the light stopped, Spinarak looked like a red spider with purple eyes and a white horn on its head.

"Heh heh," chuckled Taz. "Looks like my Spinarak just evolved into an Ariados."

Tristan and Hillary arrived in time to see everything unfold in the distance. They were shocked at the new Pokémon that Taz had.

"Whoa, that's Taz, and he's got a new friend we didn't know about!" gasped Hillary.

"New is an understatement," agreed Tristan as he scanned Ariados with his Pokédex.

_"Ariados, the Long Leg Pokémon. The evolved form of Spinarak. Ariados is able to spin extremely strong, sticky webs to trap its adversaries."_

Trap was right, for they saw Gligirl helpless on the ground not too far away.

"Hey, that's Gligirl!" cried Hillary. "And she's in real trouble! I've gotta help her!" And she started running off.

"But Hillary, what can you do?" asked Tristan.

"Maybe nothing, but I've gotta try," insisted Hillary.

"But I've told you, Hillary, Gligirl doesn't even exist," said Tristan. "She's not real, she's just some comic book superhero."

"Gligirl's my favorite superhero, and I've gotta make sure she's unharmed!" said Hillary defiantly. "You saw her save my Togepi, right? So it's my turn to return the favor and save her! If I don't, who knows what could happen! Please, Tristan, have faith in me! If you truly believe in me, then you've gotta believe in Gligirl, too!"

Tristan was surprised. He didn't know that his skepticism would've gone this far, and now he was being asked to have faith in Hillary and the superhero he never thought existed until now. He looked right into Hillary's eyes. He'd never seen her look at him with such determination before. At last he said, "All right, then. Go and rescue her. Just be careful, and make sure you don't end up like she did."

"Thanks, big bro," said Hillary. "Here, you take Togepi!" And she handed Togepi to Tristan as she ran off to help Gligirl.

"Best of luck," whispered Tristan. "You can do it."

Meanwhile, Taz was standing triumphantly over the fallen Gligirl. "Now, it's time for you all to watch as I finally unmask Gligoil!"

"No...you can't!" grunted Gligirl.

Gligar lay helpless as it struggled in vain to get back up.

"The time has finally come," said Taz.

But before he could get even close to Gligirl's mask, a Flamethrower attack stopped him dead in his tracks and freed Gligirl from her bonds.

Everyone gasped in shock.

Taz became most upset. "Hey! Can't you see that I'm busy?"

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

"That's as far as you're gonna get, Taz!" said Hillary as she and her Cyndaquil ran to the scene.

Gligirl sighed with relief.

"Arrgh!" growled Taz. "Not youse again! Why is it that some kid always has to ruin my plans, not to mention one of the annoying two kids?!"

Hillary ran to Gligirl. "Are you okay?" She then helped Gligirl to her feet.

"Why did you come?" asked Gligirl sternly. "You could've gotten hurt."

"But I had to help you, Gligirl!" insisted Hillary. "You saved my Togepi, so now I have to return the favor. Won't you please let me help you?"

Gligirl was touched by Hillary's generosity. "Okay, you win. Let's take care of this creep together."

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (starting at :19 (as heard in "The Superhero Secret")))_

And after giving each other a high-five, they faced Taz just as Cyndaquil and Gligar flew in front of their Trainers.

"You're gonna be sorry youse ever messed with us," growled Taz. "Electabuzz, use your Thunderbolt."

Electabuzz charged forward as its body sizzled with electricity. It then shot a powerful bolt of electricity straight toward Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, look out!" cried Hillary.

"Gligar, protect Cyndaquil!" commanded Gligirl.

Gligar flew in front of Cyndaquil and absorbed Electabuzz's attack.

Taz was confused. "Why didn't it woik?"

Gligirl smiled. "You should've known that Gligar was immune to Electric attacks."

"Thanks, Gligirl," said Hillary.

"Anytime," replied Gligirl.

"Ariados, go get that Gligar!" barked Taz.

Ariados charged at Gligar as fast as its six legs would carry it.

However, Hillary knew what to do. "Cyndaquil, Flamethrower now!"

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot another strong stream of fire from its mouth directly at Ariados, scoring a clean hit on it, and sending it flying.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu, along with Chikorita managed to get to the tied up citizens while Taz and his Pokémon were kept occupied.

"Okay, Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf to free those people," instructed Tristan.

Chikorita nodded and shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at the string, causing it to break.

The citizens were now freed. "Thank you so much," they said.

Back with Hillary and Gligirl, they were just about to wrap things up.

"Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

Gligar, use Swift attack now!" ordered Gligirl.

Cyndaquil and Gligar teamed up and unleashed their attacks toward a defenseless Electabuzz, who got hit by the combination attack.

Electabuzz had been knocked out right on top of a dazed Ariados.

Taz looked around helplessly just as he was confronted by Tristan, Pikachu, Chikorita, and the citizens.

"We'll take it from here, ladies," said Tristan. "Pikachu, give him a Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu jumped up and unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity on Taz, Electabuzz, and Ariados, scoring a direct hit on them and causing an explosion that sent them skyward, screaming as they went.

_DING!_

_(Music Cue: You Can Do It If You Really Try (instrumental (as heard in "Hot Matches"))_

Everyone cheered as they celebrated their victory over Taz.

Then, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Gligar, and Gligirl all did a celebratory pose like a Gligar.

* * *

Later, after everything had calmed down and the citizens had left, Tristan, Hillary, and Latoya had all gathered back together with their Pokémon.

Latoya was now back to her normal clothes after switching out of her Gligirl costume.

Tristan spoke to Hillary. "Hey, sis, I'm sorry I said that Gligirl didn't exist. You were right. Gligirl was and is a real superhero. Not to mention that you came to her rescue when she needed you the most."

"Well, it was the least I could do, Tristan," replied Hillary.

"Aw, come on," smiled Latoya. "It doesn't matter if people believe in me or not. I'm just glad it all worked out in the end."

"From now on, whenever Hillary says something important, I'll believe her," promised Tristan, "even if there is a real live superhero out there. That's because we're brother and sister. And she's my superhero." And he embraced her.

"Aw, thanks, Tristan, that's sweet," replied Hillary as she hugged him right back.

Latoya proudly watched the happy moment.

"We've gotta get going, Latoya," said Tristan. "I've got a Gym Battle coming up in Goldenrod City."

"But Tristan, don't you want Gligirl...er, Latoya's autograph?" asked Hillary.

Tristan thought about that a minute. "Well, I suppose we could wait just a little bit longer."

Latoya gave a good chuckle, and so did Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon.

* * *

That evening, Tristan and Hillary left town and said their goodbyes to Latoya.

"Bye, Latoya!" called Tristan. "Take care!"

"Thanks for everything!" added Hillary. "Say hi to your dad for us!"

"Good luck with the rest of your journey!" replied Latoya.

Pikachu and Togepi said their goodbyes to Latoya as well.

As they left, Tristan and Hillary thought fondly of their latest adventure.

"Wasn't that cool, Tristan?" said Hillary. "I got to meet Gligirl up close and personal after she saved us today."

Tristan agreed. "And you had a chance to save her in return. Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

* * *

_And so, our heroes have gotten a real taste of what superheroes can do, especially now that they've helped one in need as they continue their journey to Goldenrod City and new Johto League adventures!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	35. DILE IN THE NEXT CATCH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 35 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue through the vast Johto region. This chapter will most likely remind you of the time where Ash catches his own Totodile in "The Totodile Duel." But unlike that episode, Tristan and Hillary won't have to battle for it. I decided to have this Totodile cause a few painful problems at Hillary's expense. This chapter is a trifle shorter than some of the other chapters I wrote, but please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: A wild Totodile causes painful problems, and chomps off part of Hillary's hair in the process! Now they want to catch this Totodile. But the question is...can they do it?**

**Chapter 35. DILE IN THE NEXT CATCH**

_Our heroes are still on their way to Goldenrod City. But today, we find them relaxing at a shady mountain stream. They don't know it yet, but something is sure to get their undivided attention._

"This is so good," said Tristan as he lay next to the river with Pikachu and Togepi. "We needed this."

Hillary nodded in agreement. "I almost forgot what it feels like to relax for a moment.

Tristan gazed up at the clouds and thought about his next Gym Battle in Goldenrod City. "I can't wait to get my next badge."

All of a sudden, Hillary felt something biting her hair lightly. "Pikachu, would you please stop biting my hair?" But suddenly, she felt her hair getting tugged harder. "Ow! Knock it off, Pikachu!"

But Pikachu scratched its head.

Tristan sat up. "What's the matter, sis?"

"Pikachu's got my hair and it won't let go!" cried Hillary.

Tristan quickly turned around, but noticed that Pikachu was right next to him. "Pikachu's right here." Then what he saw next shocked him.

A blue bipedal crocodilian Pokémon had latched its teeth tightly onto Hillary's hair.

_(Music Cue: Chaos)_

"Wow, it's a Totodile!" cried Tristan excitedly. "I've gotta catch it!"

"Great, just get it off me, will you please?" replied Hillary as she tried in vain to shake the Totodile off.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu got ready to attack as sparks sizzled from its cheeks.

"No, Tristan!" shouted Hillary. "If you hit Totodile with a Thunderbolt, I'll get shocked, too!"

"Sorry, sis," replied Tristan. He took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Chikorita, I choose you!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"This'll hurt a little, but I'll do what I can to get that Totodile off your hair," said Tristan. "Chikorita, Vine Whip!"

Chikorita extended two vines from the bud necklace and gripped them around Totodile.

"Good, Chikorita!" commended Tristan. "Now pull!"

Chikorita strained as it pulled hard, even as Hillary cried out in pain.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Hey, take it easy! My hair doesn't grow on trees, you know!"

"Do you want that Totodile to stay on your head forever?" asked Tristan.

"Good point," sighed Hillary.

Chikorita kept pulling as hard as it could, but still, the Totodile wouldn't let go.

Hillary winced in pain as Chikorita tugged hard.

"It's no use!" grunted Tristan. "That Totodile's teeth are too strong!"

Chikorita was starting to lose its grip on Totodile.

"Hang in there, Chikorita! We're coming to help you!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu grabbed on to it.

"Why don't you guys try worrying about me for a change?! I'm the one in pain here!" exclaimed Hillary.

Tristan and Pikachu pulled as Chikorita strained and tugged with all its might. But as hard as they pulled, the Totodile's grip was still too strong.

Then suddenly, they heard a rip, and just as suddenly, they and Totodile felt themselves flying backward.

Totodile had snapped a portion of Hillary's hair off her head. It then spat it out and shot a powerful blast of water in everyone's faces. Totodile had such a delight that it did a victory dance and jumped into the water.

Tristan quickly ran over to Hillary. "Are you okay, sis?"

Hillary felt her hair, and sure enough, it was shorter at the end. "My hair's ruined! I'll get that Totodile if it's the last thing I do!"

But Hillary's ranting was cut short by the sound of snickering coming from Tristan, Pikachu, and Chikorita. But they couldn't hold it in and laughed themselves silly.

Hillary got very angry. "SO IS THAT HOW YOU CHEER ME UP?!" she screamed. "I'LL SHOW YOU!" And she chased them all over the stream endlessly as they laughed.

* * *

After a time, everyone had run out of breath.

"Just look at those split ends," complained Hillary as she gently stroked her bitten hair. "Why did that Totodile's teeth have to be so sharp anyway?"

"Let's see what Dexter has to say about Totodile," said Tristan as he looked up the entry in his Pokédex.

_"Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokémon. Its highly developed jaw is so powerful, it can crush practically anything. Trainers beware: this Pokémon loves to use its teeth."_

"That's an understatement," agreed Hillary. "It bit down on my hair. I'm not sure I'm ready to handle a Totodile on my own yet. It's a good thing I got Cyndaquil instead."

"Well, now I want to catch that Totodile even more!" said Tristan.

"Are you sure, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "I don't want it to bite you like it did me."

"It's a risk I'll have to take eventually, Hillary," replied Tristan. "You know that I can't have things easy for me every time, right? So catching this Totodile will be a great first step!"

"I guess," said Hillary.

"Great, then let's go find that Totodile!" said Tristan. "Come on, everybody! Let's do it!"

Pikachu, Togepi, and Chikorita agreed.

But Hillary wasn't so sure. "I don't know about this," she said to herself as she followed them.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu walked through some tall grass as they continued their search.

"That Totodile has to be around here somewhere," said Tristan. "If its teeth could bite your hair off, there's no doubt it's strong. And those are the best kind of Pokémon to have, if you ask me."

"How long will it take for my hair to grow back, Tristan?" complained Hillary. "I'm sick of feeling these split ends."

"It'll grow back eventually, sis," Tristan assured her. "Besides, it's not like it did permanent damage to your hair."

"Well, it could have!" yelled Hillary.

Tristan shushed her. "Let's keep it down, or we'll scare that Totodile away."

"I'll give it something to be scared about when all is said and done!" retorted Hillary. And she ran through the grass and searched for Totodile with her bare hands. "All right, come out, Totodile! I'll teach you to bite my hair!"

"Hillary, wait!" warned Tristan.

But she didn't listen. She wanted to get her payback for her ruined hair, and that was the only thing she thought about as she searched for Totodile in the tall grass. But all she felt were the petals of a Gloom, and it began to emit a powerful cloud of gold powder from them.

"Run! Stun Spore!" cried Tristan as he dragged Hillary and Togepi away from the Gloom as fast as he could.

Pikachu ran right on their heels.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan and the others were catching their breath.

"That was a close one," said Hillary. "I almost got hit by that Stun Spore."

"That's for sure," agreed Tristan. "You really should be more careful about that."

"Sorry," replied Hillary. "I'll try and not let my ruined hair ruin our fun."

"That's the spirit!" said Tristan excitedly. "Now why don't we have a little break? No one could ever catch a Pokémon on an empty stomach, much less a Totodile."

Hillary reluctantly agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

And so a short time later, Tristan and Hillary settled down to have lunch with their Pokémon.

Tristan's Venusaur, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Pikachu shared their food with each other while Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Furret, Lapras, and Togepi took time to enjoy their meal and the warm sunshine.

However, the only thing on Hillary's mind was her hair while the only thing on Tristan's mind was catching the Totodile.

Either way, neither of them could concentrate on lunch very much.

"There has to be a way to catch that Totodile," said Tristan to himself.

"And there has to be a way to get this hair to grow back quickly," added Hillary.

It was then that the Pokémon were still eating, seemingly ignoring them.

Tristan and Hillary lost patience at being ignored and got upset. "Hey! Weren't you listening?!"

The Pokémon turned around in surprise.

"Oops," said Tristan. "Sorry, guys. Just ignore us."

"Yeah, you keep eating while we talk amongst ourselves," added Hillary.

And so they did.

"I guess we could learn from our Pokémon, huh?" said Hillary.

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "I guess our Pokémon are teaching us a lesson. Boy, am I embarrassed." As he said that, he took a bite from one of his grandmother's freshly made sandwiches.

Hillary did, too, and with each bite, she and Tristan forgot all about their problems and focused on their meals.

"You know, sis, I'm very happy to be in a place like this," smiled Tristan. "Being with friends and Pokémon alike...it's the best."

"No doubt about that," agreed Hillary. "Hey, do you know how close we are to the Daycare Center run by Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart?"

"Let's see." Tristan checked out the map on his Poké Gear. "We should be close. As soon as we finish, we'll set off at once."

"All right!" said Hillary excitedly. "I can't wait to see them again!"

* * *

After lunch, Tristan and Hillary cleaned up and were just about to set off.

"Are you ready to go, guys?" asked Tristan.

"I know I am," replied Hillary. "Let's all go to Goldenrod City!"

But before Tristan and Hillary could return their Pokémon to their Poké Balls, the Totodile suddenly came out of the water.

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

Tristan and Hillary quickly turned around. "It's Totodile!" they cried.

Sure enough, it was Totodile, and it motioned someone to bring on a challenge.

"What's it doing?" wondered Tristan.

"I think that Totodile wants to challenge you to a battle, Tristan," replied Hillary.

"Me?" Tristan was puzzled at first, but soon, he was delighted with the idea. "Is that right, Totodile? Do you wanna battle me?"

Totodile jumped happily as a response and motioned Tristan to bring it on.

"All right, get ready, Totodile," said Tristan. "This time, you will be caught."

"Hey, Tristan, don't forget about the Lure Balls that you have," suggested Hillary. "Kurt and Maizie said that that kind of ball works best on Water Pokémon."

"Thanks, sis, I'll try it," agreed Tristan. "Are you ready, Pikachu? We've gotta catch that Totodile!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Pikachu nodded in agreement and ran in front of Tristan, positioning itself for battle against the Totodile.

"Let's get in there right away, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu leaped up into the air and unleashed a powerful yellow bolt of electricity straight toward Totodile.

But Totodile was not a Pokémon that could be defeated so easily, as Tristan and Pikachu found out, for Totodile jumped into the air and dodged Pikachu's Thunderbolt, much to their shock. Then it shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth right at Pikachu to counterattack.

"It's using Water Gun!" cried Hillary.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu ran out of the way from Totodile's Water Gun attack.

"Pikachu, give it a Quick Attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu quickly streaked toward Totodile as a white line trailed behind it.

But as fast as Pikachu moved, Totodile got out of the way just by moving to the side at the last second.

"No way!" exclaimed Hillary. " How can that be? First attacks like Quick Attack are almost always sure to hit!"

Totodile then proceeded to scratch Pikachu furiously using its claws.

Pikachu took on the damage and slid on the ground.

"That was a powerful Scratch attack!" gasped Hillary.

Next it used its teeth to bite down on Pikachu's tail, tossing it on the ground again and again while dancing. Then, with all its might, it thrust Pikachu down onto the ground.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Hillary. "That Bite attack combined with Scratch couldn't have been fun! Even I couldn't have enjoyed that rough ride!"

"Don't give up, Pikachu," encouraged Tristan. "This isn't over yet."

Pikachu managed to get back on its feet, nodded in agreement, and charged back into the battle.

Tristan then noticed that Totodile was just inches away from the river. _That's it! _he thought. _If I can lure Totodile into the river, we'll have a chance to catch that Totodile. _"Quick Attack, Pikachu, now!" he shouted.

Once again, Pikachu streaked toward Totodile as a white line trailed behind it, and once again, Totodile got out of the way by dodging to the left.

But this time, Totodile was focusing so hard on dodging Pikachu's attacks that it found itself slipping and falling into the river. It had no idea how it got there.

This was the chance Tristan was waiting for. "We've got it now, Pikachu! Thunderbolt now!"

Pikachu charged up the electricity in its cheeks, then it shot a powerful bolt straight at Totodile, scoring a huge direct hit on it.

"Yeah!" said Hillary excitedly. "Tristan must've known that water conducts electricity, so he must've used Quick Attack to lure Totodile into the river. And once Totodile was in, it was vulnerable to Pikachu's Electric attacks!"

Tristan took out a Lure Ball from his backpack, per Hillary's suggestion, and threw it. "Lure Ball, go!"

The Lure Ball hit Totodile, causing the ball to open and transform Totodile into red energy and putting it inside. Then the Lure Ball fell to the ground and wiggled as the button flashed.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and the other Pokémon watched anxiously as seconds went by, hoping that Totodile would be caught.

The ball continued to shake until at last, the button stopped flashing and the ball stopped wiggling. That meant one thing.

_(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fowl Play"))_

Tristan smiled as he picked up the Lure Ball, raised in the air, and proclaimed, "I just caught...a Totodile!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu happily.

All of Tristan and Hillary's other Pokémon cheered excitedly.

"Congratulations, Tristan," said Hillary. "You definitely earned it."

"Your suggestion helped, sis, so thank you," replied Tristan. Then he held the Lure Ball close to him and said. "Welcome to the team, Totodile. It's good to have you with us."

* * *

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi continued on their way.

"You know, having Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile reminds me of the time when I first caught Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, all as a Bulbsaur, Charmander, and Squirtle," said Tristan. "It's like I'm reliving my first days as a Trainer when we explored the Kanto region."

"That sure takes us back, doesn't it?" agreed Hillary. "You've made some great Pokémon friends, just as I have."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

* * *

_Tristan has now added a Totodile to his ever-growing family of Pokémon friends. And with that, he and Hillary have gotten one step closer to their goal. And so, their journey to Goldenrod City and the Johto League continues!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	36. LOST IN THE BIG CITY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 36 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I've decided to base this chapter off of the Pikachu short "Pikachu and Pichu." But this definitely took place after Ash's Pikachu's adventures there. But it's a slightly different experience that Tristan's Pikachu will have. Many of the Pokémon residents, including the Pichu Brothers make appearances in this chapter. And this will be a shorter chapter than most. And some music cues from the Pikachu short "Pikachu and Pichu" will take place in this chapter as well. Nevertheless, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After a flock of Murkrow causes Pikachu to be separated from its friends, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile must work together to reunite with Pikachu, and Pikachu must rely on the Pichu Brothers to help it and the other Pokémon get back to where they started from before Tristan and Hillary return!**

**Chapter 36. LOST IN THE BIG CITY**

_(Music Cue: Welcome to the Big City! (as heard at the beginning of "Pikachu and Pichu"))_

_Our heroes are still on their way to the next Gym in Goldenrod City, but today, they're stopping in the big city known as Big Town._

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were walking along as they took in the sights of the big skyscrapers.

"This place is humongous!" said Tristan.

"Yeah, it's a place we could easily get lost in if we're not careful," agreed Hillary.

"Why don't we take a break?" suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary.

* * *

A moment later, they want up the elevator to the top of a very tall skyscraper. When they reached the top, the doors opened.

There were several benches and trees. There was also a big fountain.

"This is a great place to stop and play, isn't it, Tristan?" said Hillary.

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Hey, sis, why don't we let our Pokémon out to play for a while while we stock up on supplies?"

"Another good idea," replied Hillary. "That's two for two."

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Come Out (as heard in "Pikachu and Pichu"))_

Tristan and Hillary tossed their Poké Balls in the air.

Tristan's Venusaur, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile as well as Hillary's Squirtle, Eevee, Cyndaquil, Furret, and Lapras emerged from the white lights that came out of them.

Pikachu and Togepi went to join them.

"Listen up, everybody," said Tristan. "Hillary and I are gonna go downtown to get some supplies. Meanwhile, you guys can play up here."

"Just don't get lost...or get in trouble," added Hillary. "Well, we're off!"

"Have fun, guys," said Tristan. "Oh, and before we forget, see the clock tower?"

Pikachu and the other Pokémon nodded.

"We'll be back at six o'clock," explained Tristan. "Pikachu, help keep an eye on everyone, okay?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement as Tristan and Hillary got in the elevator.

"Oh, and here's this," added Tristan as he took out his beach ball and tossed it to Pikachu, who was happy to play with it.

Pikachu, Togepi, and the other Pokémon waved to Tristan and Hillary as the elevator's doors closed.

Pikachu tossed the beach ball into the air.

Tristan's Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile all took turns hitting the ball as it came back to them.

Venusaur, Blastoise, and Lapras all just wanted to relax and enjoy their time listening to the sounds of the city.

Furret curled up next to a bench and decided to take a nap.

Togepi joined it as Furret used its tail for a blanket.

Then they both closed their eyes and fell fast asleep.

Hillary's Cyndaquil, Squirtle, and Eevee all ran about the garden, shouting gleefully as they went.

Pikachu kept taking turns hitting the ball with Tristan's Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile.

Totodile shot a Water Gun at the approaching beach ball and blasted it right in Cyndaquil's face and off the garden roof toward the ground a hundred feet below.

Cyndaquil got really upset and confronted Totodile with nasty insults.

Totodile just shrugged it all off.

That made Cyndaquil even more upset as it butted heads with Totodile.

Chikorita wanted to see what the commotion was about, so it asked what was going on.

But when Totodile and Cyndaquil pushed it away, Chikorita became upset, too, so it joined in on the brawl over whose fault it was for losing the beach ball.

Pikachu tried to reason with them and break up the fight, but all they did was push it away, causing it to lose its balance and nearly fall off the roof! Pikachu struggled and strained as it tried to get back on the roof.

_(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos)_

However, a group of avian Pokémon with black feathers saw Pikachu from above. They dove down at frightening speed and attacked it mercilessly using their beaks. It was a flock of Murkrow, and poor Pikachu had landed too close to their territory.

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile noticed the commotion and rushed over to help. But no matter what they did, they couldn't get anywhere near the Murkrow without hurting Pikachu.

Totodile rushed forward and shot a Water Gun attack at the Murkrow, scoring a direct hit on them.

However, Pikachu was also hit, and it was sent flying over the city.

Chikorita rushed over to Totodile and scolded it for being so reckless.

Totodile lowered its head in shame.

The Murkrow flock then turned around and dove down on Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile.

Acting quickly, Cyndaqul ignited the flame on its back and shot a Flamethrower attack at the entire flock, scoring a clean hit on them, and sending them scurrying away in terror.

Cyndaquil and Totodile celebrated their victory, but Chikorita rushed over and motioned them to follow it.

And so the three Pokémon raced over to the elevator and ran in to go down to rescue Pikachu as fast as they could, leaving the rest of the Pokémon to have their fun.

None of the other Pokémon didn't notice them leave.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the ground, the beach ball was still rolling and bouncing along. Of course, that didn't go unnoticed by the citizens as it passed by.

Presently, Pikachu appeared out of the sky and fell towards the ground below.

Fortunately, the ball was right below it, and it landed directly on the ball, giving it a soft landing.

However, the beach ball was still bouncing and rolling along at a high rate of speed.

Pikachu did its best to keep its balance as the ball rolled along, but it wasn't easy as the ball was so round that Pikachu hadn't noticed that it was headed toward dangerous traffic.

There were multiple cars coming and going from opposite directions.

Pikachu and the beach ball rolled into the street. Although it did its best to not get into any trouble and avoid traffic, all of the drivers in the cars braked hard to avoid hitting it. Pikachu and the beach ball barely made it across the street without getting hit by a single car.

On and on rolled Pikachu, still on the bouncing beach ball as they bounced along alleys and city streets.

Suddenly, Pikachu spotted a trash can in the distance. It gasped in shock as it tried to swerve out of the way to avoid it.

But seconds later, the ball bounced off the corner, causing Pikachu to fall off of it and hit the ground hard.

The ball kept bouncing along until it had rolled out of sight.

Pikachu lay on the ground bemused at what had happened. It stood up and shook its head to regain its focus. Then it looked around. It didn't see any of its friends, nor was there a sign of Tristan or Hillary anywhere.

Presently, a pair of ground-dwelling rodent Pokémon with pale yellow fur came from the corner of a building. They each had pink sacs on their cheeks and were obviously happy to see a Pikachu in the distance. One of them had hair standing up while the other had no hair standing up at all.

Pikachu was confused. It had never seen those two Pokémon before. What it didn't realize was that they were a pair of Pichu, its pre-evolved form, and they were brothers. Nevertheless, it was happy to meet two new friends. It then asked for their help to find its own friends and to get it back to where it came from.

The two Pichu happily complied and set off with Pikachu at once.

* * *

Elsewhere, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile were calling out for Pikachu as they searched all over the city.

There was no response from Pikachu anywhere.

Chikorita became worried. It had been friends with Pikachu and Tristan ever since it met them in New Bark Town on that very day they rescued it.

Cyndaquil, comforted it, knowing full well that Pikachu was somewhere in the city.

Totodile tried to cheer it up by smiling, but Chikorita was still very unhappy with it for blasting Pikachu away in the first place.

Chikorita waved the leaf on its head and emitted its Sweet Scent in the hopes of luring Pikachu to it.

Cyndaquil and Totodile enjoyed the sweet aroma that was being given off and thought it was a good idea.

Unfortunately, instead of a friendly yellow Pikachu appearing out of the alley, a black quadruped canine Pokémon with a red underbelly came out, seemingly attracted to the Sweet Scent. It was a Houndour, and when the Sweet Scent wore off, it growled and glared angrily at the three little Pokémon. Apparently, it didn't like being dragged away from its hideout.

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile tried to explain to the Houndour about finding Pikachu.

But Houndour just gave an angry bark, causing them all to scream and run in terror as fast as they could. Houndour barked angrily as it chased them all over the city.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pikachu and the Pichu Brothers were still trying to find their way back to where they had started.

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Tracey Gets Bugged"))_

Suddenly, they saw a panicky Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile come out of the alley and run right past them.

Pikachu and the Pichu brothers were left confused as to why they would run in such a hurry.

But just then, Houndour appeared and confronted them, thinking that they were the ones who provoked it in the first place. To it, it didn't matter who provoked it just so long as somebody paid the price.

Pikachu and the others made a run for it as Houndour began chasing them around the alley.

Unfortunately, they came to a dead end as Houndour slowly approached, closing in on them as it went.

The Pichu brothers jumped right in front of Pikachu and prepared to protect it. Electricity sizzled from the sacs on their cheeks as they released a Thundershock attack on Houndour.

Houndour felt the shock and was stunned.

However, the Pichu Brothers also felt the shock after using Thundershock and collapsed on the ground, much to Pikachu's worry.

There was worse to come as Houndour shook off the shock and growled even more angrily at the Pichu Brothers. Soon it gave chase again.

_(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

Pikachu, having no other option, carried the Pichu Brothers and jumped over the fence with great effort.

Pikachu and the Pichu Brothers let out a yell as they fell.

The fall was long, but fortunately, the large belly of a sleeping Snorlax was just below, and so they bounced off the Snorlax and jumped over another fence.

Snorlax did feel some movement, but was nonetheless undisturbed.

Houndour jumped over the fence to follow Pikachu and the Pichu Brothers over the two fences, but unfortunately, the Snorlax turned around, causing it to crash into the ground. Houndour was left dazed as it lay in a heap.

Then Snorlax turned around back to its normal position, and Houndour, having no time to react, got squished as Snorlax went back to sleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pikachu had a chance to catch its breath after its latest ordeal carrying the Pichu Brothers away from the rampaging Houndour.

Presently, the Pichu Brothers opened their eyes, much to Pikachu's relief.

Then, Pikachu saw that it was in some sort of clubhouse with tires, wheel, and a broken clock on top. All of it was covered in colorful paint.

The Pichu Brothers called out, and many new Pokémon made their entrance all over the clubhouse.

_(Music Cue: Secret Base's Theme (as heard in the short "Pikachu and Pichu"))_

Sure enough, they were all friends of the Pichu Brothers, and were eagerly ready to play inside the clubhouse with them.

There was a Magby, Smoochum, Wooper, Smeargle, and a Teddiursa, all cute Pokémon that were the Pichu Brothers' friends.

Pikachu was certainly happy to meet them as they took it around the playhouse.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, as Tristan and Hillary were shopping for supplies, they were startled by the voices of the many Pokémon in the distance.

"Hmm, I wonder what's going on," said Tristan.

"Strange," agreed Hillary.

Then they both went back to their shopping.

* * *

Elsewhere, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile had lost sight of the angry Houndour, little realizing that Snorlax had already flattened it in its sleep.

Just then, Cyndaquil picked up on some Pokémon voices not too far away, and alerted Chikorita and Totodile to it. It motioned them to follow it, and together, they ran through the city to the source of those noises.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pikachu and the Pichu brothers were having a wonderful time climbing all over the tires and going into the makeshift clubhouse.

There were several ropes, pulleys, wheels, and gears.

Pikachu had a fun time sliding down on the ropes with the Pichu Brothers.

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile were just peering inside when Teddiursa, Magby, Smoochum, and Wooper invited them in to play. They, too, had fun sliding on the ropes and navigating on the wheels.

Pikachu was having so much fun playing in the clubhouse with the Pichu Brothers and their friends that it didn't realize that Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile had joined in on the fun.

One by one, they all slid out of the clubhouse to dance and play with a few more Pokémon that had shown up, including a Furret, some happy Voltorb and Electrode, a flock of Hoppip, a Smeargle, and a Hitmontop.

After the Pichu Brothers' friends left, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile quickly rushed over to Pikachu, who was obviously happy to see them.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Hurries Back (starting at 0:15 (as heard in "Pikachu and Pichu")))_

But then, Pikachu noticed the clock striking five o'clock, and the sun beginning to go down. It gasped in shock and realized that it and the others had to get back where they started.

So Pikachu and its friends waved goodbye to the Pichu Brothers and set off back to the top of the skyscraper as fast as their little legs would carry them.

As they left, the Pichu Brothers put their heads together and came up with a plan.

* * *

Pikachu, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile were running down the streets of the big city when suddenly, the Pichu Brothers came by, each rolling in one tire.

Pikachu and Chikorita got in with Pichu Little while Cyndaquil got in with Pichu Big.

Totodile jumped on top of Pichu Big's tire and propelled it along just like running on a treadmill.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and Hillary were just getting out of the store with their supplies.

"Well, that's everything," said Hillary. "Let's get back there and meet our Pokémon."

"You got it," replied Tristan.

Presently, Hillary saw two tires coming toward him at a high rate of speed. "Tristan, look out!"

Tristan did manage to avoid the tires, but he fell backward doing so, and all of his bags flew everywhere!

All of the bags landed on top of him, but none spilled any of the supplies.

"Oh, well," said Hillary. "I guess you can't always catch 'em all."

"You're telling me," replied Tristan.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Parting from the Pichu Brothers (as heard in "Pikachu and Pichu"))_

At the skyscraper, all of Tristan and Hillary's other Pokémon were happy to see that their friends, Pikachu, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile had returned safely after their little adventure in the big city.

Pikachu and the Pokémon bid farewell to the Pichu Brothers as they waved goodbye.

Then, the Pichu Brothers got back into the elevator as its doors closed.

Pikachu, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile were left wondering what the Pichu Brothers' next adventure would take them.

A moment later, Tristan and Hillary returned.

"Hi, guys," said Tristan. "Did you have fun?"

All of Tristan and Hillary's Pokémon nodded.

"We had some crazy things happen on the way back," explained Hillary.

"Yeah, I never expected a pair of tires to fly down the street so fast before," added Tristan. "Those things caused me to drop my bags."

Pikachu scratched its head. It never knew that a tire could knock a human off his feet.

"Come on, guys, let's go inside," suggested Hillary as she and Tristan led the Pokémon inside the building.

_(Music Cue: Friendship Commemoration Day (as heard in "Pikachu and Pichu"))_

Inside, there was a room full of food set out on tables.

All of the Pokémon were very impressed with the layout.

"Hillary and I planned this for quite some time," explained Tristan. "This is the day that we first began our Pokémon journey together."

"And Tristan's birthday is the best example to bring out a very special party," added Hillary.

"And Pikachu, we wouldn't have gotten where we are today without you," finished Tristan.

Pikachu happily leaped into Tristan's arms and embraced him, giving him a good laugh.

"Okay, everybody, dig in!" said Tristan.

All the Pokémon happily came to the table and started eating the food.

Tristan and Hillary looked proudly at their Pokémon as they put their hands on each other's shoulders.

"Hey, sis," said Tristan. "I'm glad to have someone like you to share my journey with."

"Likewise," agreed Hillary. "Where would we be without our Pokémon friends?"

* * *

_Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu have gone through many amazing adventures together, and rest assured that there will be many more to come. Soon, they'll be off again on their way to Goldenrod City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	37. AN EGG-CITING FAMILY VISIT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 37 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their unforgettable journey through the Johto region. Their great-grandparents, Rachael and Stuart will be formally introduced in this chapter. I'm basing them off of the daycare couple in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. Plus, I'm imagining them as they live close to Goldenrod City, so they'll be near a hospital in a big metropolis in case they need help. This is a longer chapter, but the shorter chapters have balanced it out. Jessie, James, and Meowth also make an appearance in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary visit their great-grandparents at their daycare, and their grandparents visiting add to the fun, especially with the news about their grandfather wanting to become a Trainer. However, when Team Rocket steals the eggs, Tristan and his grandmother must team up to get them back!**

**Chapter 37: AN EGG-CITING FAMILY VISIT**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_Our heroes are finally within walking distance of Goldenrod City, site of Tristan's third Johto League Gym battle. But today, they've stopped just outside the city limits to pay a visit to two people near and dear to their hearts._

Tristan and Hillary couldn't believe their eyes when they saw a familiar house just on the edge of Goldenrod City.

"That must be Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart's house!" said Tristan excitedly. "That's the place where they take care of raising other Trainers Pokémon and all the eggs!"

"I can't wait to see them!" added Hillary. "I just wonder how Great-Grandma Rachael's doing after her recent fall."

Presently, Tristan's Poké Gear rang from his backpack.

Tristan took it out of his backpack and answered. "Hello?"

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

"Hi, Tristan, it's Grandma." It was Veronica's voice.

"Hi, Grandma, how have you been?" asked Tristan.

"Just fine, dear," answered Veronica. "How close are you to Goldenrod City?"

"Actually, we're just about there. Why?"

"Well, your grandfather and I will be staying in Goldenrod City for a few days because we wanted to make sure your great-grandparents are doing well, especially after your great-grandmother's accident," explained Veronica. "However, we wanted to ask you if you had time to visit with us."

"I always have time to see you, even on a journey."

"Great, we'll see you in a little bit, okay?"

"You, too, Grandma. Bye." And Tristan turned off his Poké Gear. "Awesome! Grandma and Grandpa are at Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart's house right now! We sure came at a great time, didn't we?"

"Let's go see Grandma and Grandpa as well as Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart!" said Hillary as she ran off with Togepi in her arms.

"Hey, wait for me!" called Tristan as he and Pikachu did their best to keep up with a very excited Hillary.

When they got to the house, Hillary rang the doorbell.

"Please come in!" said an elderly female voice.

Hillary opened the door and walked inside followed by Tristan and Pikachu.

An elderly woman with glasses and white hair was sitting in an easy chair. "Ah, Tristan and Hillary. It's been awhile."

"Great-Grandma Rachael!" said Tristan and Hillary as they came to her and gently hugged her.

"Thank you for coming here," said Rachael. Then she noticed Pikachu and Togepi. "What cute Pokémon you have there."

"Great-Grandma Rachael, meet Pikachu, my very first Pokémon," said Tristan.

Pikachu greeted Rachael warmly.

"And meet my Togepi," added Hillary. "It's the same Togepi that hatched from the egg you entrusted to me."

Togepi chirped its greeting to Rachael.

"Well, I'll be," said Rachael. "It's so nice to finally meet the Pokémon that hatched from that egg after my fall. Thank you for taking care of that for me. That thing is so cute! I've been doing very well after getting out of the hospital."

"We're glad to hear that," replied Tristan. "We've been worried."

Suddenly, one of Hillary's Poké Balls opened and her Furret appeared.

"Whoa, Furret, what are you doing out of your ball?" asked Hillary in surprise. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, I just adore that Furret," smiled Rachael. "Come on up here."

Furret climbed up on Rachael's lap and made itself comfortable.

"Looks like Furret's taken a liking to you," said Tristan to Rachael.

Hillary grinned. She never knew that Furret would like Rachael so much at first sight.

"Do we have visitors, dear?" asked an elderly male voice.

"Yes, we do, Stuart!" called Rachael.

An elderly man wearing an orange collared shirt and white hair came slowly into the kitchen with a cane. "Well, Tristan and Hillary, it's so good that you two have come."

"Great-Grandpa Stuart!" said Tristan and Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

Presently, two more people came in. It was Veronica and Eric.

"Hello, kids!" said Veronica.

"Did you miss us?" added Eric.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" cried Tristan and Hillary excitedly as they ran to hug them.

"You sure came quickly, didn't you?" remarked Veronica.

"I must say, that's the fastest time we've seen you respond to our call on record," added Eric.

"Actually, we were just outside when you called us," explained Tristan.

"We just couldn't wait to see everybody," added Hillary. "It sure is nice to have three generations of the family visiting together along with the Pokémon."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, the Pokémon you have are like family to us, too," smiled Rachael.

"It's too bad Mom and Dad are still journeying," said Tristan. "They would've loved this reunion."

"I'm sure we'll all see them again real soon," said Eric.

"I don't mean to cut the happy reunion short kids, but we do need your help," said Veronica.

"What's up?" asked Hillary.

"Braden and Evan stopped by Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town recently," explained Veronica. "Professor Oak's been giving new Trainers many Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle for the past several weeks, and he was going to offer one of them to Braden. But he noticed that there weren't any of the three Pokémon anywhere."

"We were hoping we could borrow your Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise for a while," added Rachael.

"I'd like to help," said Tristan, "except that my Charizard's at the Charicific Valley."

Presently, everyone heard a familiar friendly roar.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"Let's check out the back," suggested Stuart. "Tristan, could you check that for me?"

"I can do that, Great-Grandpa," replied Tristan as he and Pikachu opened the back door.

To their surprise, they found a familiar orange draconic bipedal Pokémon sitting comfortably just outside. "It's a Charizard!"

It turned around and saw Tristan. It quickly gave him a tight hug in midair.

Hillary was surprised. "No Charizard hugs like that except...Tristan's Charizard?"

"Yup, you got it," smiled Veronica and Eric.

_(Music Cue: Mew's Theme (The Shadow That Follows Team Rocket"))_

Tristan and Charizard were enjoying their moment of reunion.

"It's great to see you, Charizard," strained Tristan. "But could you loosen up a little bit, please?"

Charizard gently released Tristan and put him down on the ground.

"You haven't changed a bit, Charizard," smiled Tristan. "But what are you doing here?"

"We wanted to help Professor Oak, so we called Liza in the Charicific Valley to see if we could borrow your Charizard," explained Rachael. "So naturally, she said yes, especially if it's to help family members."

"So Charizard flew from the Charicific Valley," added Stuart. "And when it arrived, we just had to treat it like it was one of our great-grandchildren."

"Charizard came to their place last night," said Veronica. "Your great-grandparents made sure it was comfortable during the night."

"Charizard was living large, wasn't it?" remarked Hillary.

"But I still don't understand how Charizard fits into getting Braden a Charmander," said Tristan.

"Well, then I'll just have to show you," replied Rachael as she took out a Poké Ball.

The Poké Ball opened and out came a pink amorphous Pokémon with beady eyes and a squishy body on Rachael's lap next to Furret.

"Wow, it's a Ditto!" said Hillary.

"Your grandmother managed to catch it for me many years ago, but I couldn't take care of my eggs as well as I'd like to after my fall," explained Rachael. "I just never knew it would come in handy now."

"But how are you going to get a Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur?" asked Hillary. "And what do Tristan's Pokémon have to do with this?"

"I'll show you," replied Rachael. "Ditto, go outside and Transform into Charizard."

Ditto went out the back door and glowed in a white light. It then transformed into a Charizard just as Rachael had requested.

Charizard turned around and saw the new Charizard and immediately bonded with it.

"Whoa, Charizard's fallen in love with that Ditto!" gasped Tristan.

"This Ditto has a unique ability to breed with almost any Pokémon," explained Rachael. "All excvept legendary Pokémon."

"That's awesome," said Hillary.

"With Ditto transforming into the same Pokémon species, like Charizard, the Ditto can act as the other Pokémon's mate," added Stuart. "And together, with any luck, the two of them will have an egg for us very soon."

"So that's why you wanted to borrow my Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise," said Tristan. "Ditto's Transform abilities can help breed some rare Pokémon!"

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Presently, there was a flash of light coming from another room.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"It's coming from the egg room," answered Rachael. "One of the eggs is close to hatching."

"Could we see?" asked Tristan.

* * *

Rachael and Stuart led everyone into the next room. There were many eggs situated comfortably on shelf after shelf. On a low shelf in the far corner, there was a yellow egg with a little brown stripe.

That very egg was the source of the flashing light.

Tristan and Hillary were impressed.

"This must be where all the Pokémon Eggs are stored," said Hillary in awe.

"Is this your first time seeing this room?" asked Eric.

Tristan and Hillary nodded.

"Back when Hillary and I were just learning to crawl, we didn't visit this place very much," explained Tristan. "But it was such a treat when we came to New Bark Town and Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa came to visit."

"I understand," said Veronica. "You were having so much fun playing at our house that we couldn't drag you away from there even if we tried."

"How long do you think it'll be before the egg hatches?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not sure," replied Eric.

"Well, I can be sure that with any luck, it should hatch later this evening," said Stuart.

"I'd love to see it hatch," said Hillary excitedly. "Seeing the birth of a brand new Pokémon always makes me happy."

Rachael reached for the low shelf and got the glowing egg.

"Be careful, Mom," cautioned Veronica. "You can't be walking around very much, especially after that leg injury."

"Don't worry, Veronica, I'm fine," said Rachael.

But unfortunately, at that moment, Rachael's foot slipped on the floor and fell, however, Veronica and Eric managed to catch her by the arms before she fell to the floor.

However, Rachael's slip caused the glowing egg to be sent flying, much to everyone's horror.

"Look out! The egg!" cried Veronica.

"Someone catch it before it breaks!" added Stuart.

"Go, Chikorita, use your Vine Whip to catch the egg!" shouted Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball.

The Friend Ball opened, and Chikorita emerged from it.

Wasting no time, Chikorita extended two vines from its bud necklace and caught the glowing egg safely in them.

Everyone sighed with relief.

"Nice catch, Chikorita," praised Tristan as he gently stroked it on the head.

Chikorita nodded happily in agreement.

"That was quick thinking, grand-sonny," commended Eric as he took the egg from Chikorita.

"Thanks, Grandpa," replied Tristan. "I never expected Great-Grandma Rachael to slip so easily."

"Well, she is getting on in years, and sometimes, she has trouble getting around," explained Veronica.

"Your great-grandmother and I need a little extra help sometimes," added Stuart. "So we always appreciate it when Veronica and Eric come over to help."

"Why don't we have some lunch?" suggested Tristan. "I can help Grandma cook something in the kitchen."

"Good idea, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "Hey, Grandma, would it be okay if I help Great-Grandma take care of some of the eggs?"

"Actually, that's a great idea, Hillary," replied Veronica. "Your grandfather and I could use a little help ourselves. We've been helping taking care of the eggs after your great-grandmother's injury."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

A few moments later, Tristan helped his grandmother make some homemade pizza in the kitchen.

Veronica was most impressed. "You've become quite the chef. This journey must have taught you some great lessons about cooking."

"My friend, Brock, gave me some pointers for cooking good food for my Pokémon, so I figured I should give this a shot," explained Tristan.

"Now that's what good Trainers like you should do," smiled Veronica. "Maybe you should have your own cooking show on television."

"Thanks, Grandma," replied Tristan. "I'll consider it."

* * *

In the nursery, Rachael gave Hillary some pointers on the eggs as Eric and Stuart watched.

"When taking care of an egg, use a clean towel to rub it gently like this," she said as she demonstrated the technique on one of the eggs and sat in her other easy chair. "Now you try it." She then handed the egg to Hillary.

Using the clean towel, Hillary rubbed the egg very gently. She rubbed and rubbed.

The egg was nice and warm in her hands.

Rachael and Stuart were very impressed. So was Eric.

"Say, that's quite the young caretaker," remarked Stuart.

"He's right, Hillary," agreed Eric. "You are a very quick study."

"Thanks, guys," replied Hillary. "I did help Togepi hatch safely, so that experience really helped me learn this."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"This journey with Tristan has certainly taught you a whole lot," remarked Stuart. "Did you get into any battles yet?"

"I battled in the Little Cup in Violet City," answered Hillary. "My Pokémon and I were in the best eight. Grandma and Grandpa were there and watched me compete."

Eric nodded in agreement.

"Ah, to feel young again," sighed Stuart. "I'd sure love to battle again myself. But I've always enjoyed helping welcome new Pokémon into the world so that they can have as many of the experiences as I did all these years ago."

"Yes, my dear," said Rachael. "And these young Trainers who are currently out journeying always tell us wonderful stories and make us reminisce of our adventures together."

Suddenly, an idea struck Eric. "You know what, I should get into Pokémon battling, too."

Hillary was surprised. "You never battled, Grandpa?"

"I have when I was a boy, but I didn't seem to get the basics of the battle very well," explained Eric. "After your grandmother got her first Eevee, she gave me the inspiration to have my own Pokémon someday."

"Well, then, I say, do it," said Rachael.

Just then, Veronica came in. "Lunch is ready, everyone!"

"All right!" said Hillary excitedly. "Thanks for letting me take care of the egg, Great-Grandma." And she carefully put the egg back on the shelf and went to join Tristan and Veronica for lunch.

Stuart slowly followed, with Eric right behind, and Rachael slowly following the rear.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Secret Strategy 1997-1998 M26 (as heard in "A Promise is a Promise"))_

Meanwhile, just out the window, three familiar figures were watching the eggs closely from the inside. One had long red hair, another had lavender hair, and the other had whiskers and a gold charm on its forehead. Yes, it was Jessie, James, and Meowth, the Team Rocket Trio.

"Look at dat!" said Meowth. "Here's a chance to steal some Pokémon Eggs! And what better place to start dan a home noisery?"

James agreed. "Yes, especially now that we know where the life of a brand new Pokémon begins."

"And an old couple like that should be a cinch to steal from," added Jessie. "Old guys are known to be slow as a Squirtle."

"So's I say let's grab dose eggs and make our day sunny-side up!" suggested Meowth.

"Wobbuffet!" A tall, cyan Pokémon, Wobbuffet, suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to Jessie. It had a soft body.

"Hey. Eggheads egg-scluded," grumbled Jessie. "Now get back in your ball." She took out Wobbuffet's Poké Ball and returned it inside.

"So what plan will we be hatching this time?" asked James.

"I say we become dee F.E.I," suggested Meowth.

"Not the F.B.I!" cried James. "They'll put us under arrest!"

"Hey, don't get egg-cited, Jimmy Boy!" chided Meowth. "I mean dee F.E.I., Federal Egg Inspectors. We'll inspect dee eggs and take 'em, and when dere backs are toined, we scramble outta here wit 'em."

"Now that's a good plan," smiled Jessie. "So let's get busy and poach those eggs."

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan and Hillary sat down to lunch with their grandparents, great-grandparents, and their Pokémon.

Tristan and Veronica's cooking impressed everyone else.

Pikachu and Togepi were thrilled at the taste of their meal as Furret joined them.

"Great pizza, Veronica," said Stuart. "You've made a good decision in letting Tristan help you cook today."

"Thank you, Dad," replied Veronica. She turned to Tristan. "But the real compliments should go to the future host of a cooking show."

"Well, I don't know about that," said Tristan sheepishly. He didn't know what he was going to do when he grew up.

As everyone ate their lunch, Eric made his announcement.

"I've been inspired by your many talents as a retired champion and as an Eevee trainer, my dear," he said.

"Aw, thanks, darling," replied Veronica as she blushed. "But why are you saying that?"

"I want to become a trainer just like you are," explained Eric. "Seeing how much you care about your Eevee and how much you love battling with them, I want to raise other Pokémon just like our grandchildren."

"That's wonderful news, Grandpa!" said Tristan excitedly. He was so happy to hear that his grandfather was going to be a Trainer too. "But what kind of Pokémon are you wanting to start out with?"

"Well, I'm not sure, exactly," answered Eric. "There are so many Pokémon to choose from, I don't know where to begin."

Presently, there was a loud knock at the door.

"Yes?" called Rachael.

The door opened, and Jessie, James, and Meowth, disguised as inspectors, came in.

"We're from the Federal Egg Inspection Agency," said Jessie.

"Federal Egg Inspection Agency?" repeated Hillary. "I've never heard of that before."

"Nor have I," said Tristan.

"It's a company that inspects Pokémon Eggs and makes sure they're in picture perfect health before hatching," explained James.

"We take pleasure in seeing young Pokémon enter da woild, loining things from every loving poison dat dis woild has ta offer," added Meowth.

"Now that's sweet, isn't it, dear?" remarked Stuart.

"Yes," agreed Rachael. "Someone who has the best interests of Pokémon Eggs in their heart."

"We understand that there's a nursery here, and that's full of Pokémon Eggs," added James. "Would you lead us there, please?"

"I'd be happy to let you look at the eggs there," smiled Rachael. And she slowly led them inside the nursery.

Tristan, Hillary, Veronica, and Eric all followed.

In the nursery, Jessie, James, and Meowth were impressed.

"These eggs are all my pride and joy," explained Rachael. "My husband and I have been raising these eggs for many years."

Presently, the yellow egg flashed again.

"Ooh, now dere's an egg dat's about to hatch," said Meowth excitedly.

"We can help it hatch faster," added Jessie.

"Actually, we can help all of your eggs hatch faster using our incubator that's just outside," finished James.

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other.

"What do you think?" asked Tristan.

"It is worth a try," replied Hillary.

Rachael and Stuart were delighted with the idea as they and the others picked up egg after egg to give to the disguised villains.

They all went outside with the eggs and placed them in the big incubator. There were ten cartons of eggs, each containing six.

"Now, all we do is wait for them to hatch," explained Jessie. "But in order for us to do so safely, we'd better take it back to our headquarters."

"That's right, our ride's here," added James.

"Wait a second!" called Rachael

But Jessie, James, and Meowth had already jumped inside the incubator as it started to take off.

But just as it was starting to gain altitude, the incubator fell apart and revealed a hot-air balloon shaped like a Meowth's head.

"Hey, that's a hot-air balloon!" gasped Stuart.

"My eggs!" cried Rachael. "Those inspectors have them!"

"All right, who are you?!" demanded Veronica.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Motto 1997-1998 M20 (as heard in "Hatching a Plan"))_

Jessie, James, and Meowth threw off their disguises and immediately went into their motto.

"Prepare for trouble as we come out of our shell."

"Our accomplished task is very swell."

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of rotten eggs and ham."

"To put all weaklings in a big jam."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket poaches your eggs at the speed of light!"

"Surrender your yolks or prepare to fight fight fight!"

"Daaaaaaaaat's right!"

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet popped out of its Poké Ball to chime in.

"Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary.

"Give those eggs back right now!" demanded Veronica. "My folks worked very hard to hatch those eggs, and you won't get away with them!"

"We'd love to stay and chat, lady, but we gotta scramble outta here," smirked Jessie.

"Weezing, Smokescreen now!" shouted James as he threw a Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

A Pokémon with two spherical heads emerged from the white light that shot out of it and emitted a cloud of green smoke, enveloping everyone on the ground in it, causing them to cough, providing Team Rocket the perfect cover as their balloon picked up speed.

When the smoke cleared, Tristan and the others saw the balloon drifting away.

"No! They're getting away!" exclaimed Tristan.

Rachael started going after them. "Get back here with our eggs!" But she was having so much trouble getting around that she almost fell to the ground trying to run after Team Rocket's balloon.

Fortunately, Hillary and Eric caught her in time.

Stuart came to her. "Are you okay?"

"Take it easy, Great-Grandma," advised Hillary. "You can't chase them like this."

"She's right, Mom," agreed Veronica. "You're in no shape to go after them. Hillary, you and Grandpa take her inside while Tristan and I go after them."

Tristan and Hillary nodded in agreement.

Hillary and Eric worked together to help Rachael and Stuart back into the house while Tristan and Veronica chased after them.

* * *

In the balloon, Jessie, James, and Meowth were enjoying their triumph.

"I love it when a plan works," smiled Jessie.

"Not to mention a foolproof one," added James.

"Egg-stremely right," finished Meowth.

Presently, Tristan's voice could be heard. "You won't get away, Team Rocket!"

"Get down here this instant!" demanded Veronica.

Sure enough, Tristan and Veronica were seen running below, and were hot on Team Rocket's tail.

"Look at that Twerp!" grumbled Jessie. "He's as stubborn as ever, especially with that old lady!"

"Tristan, maybe your Chikorita can get that balloon," suggested Veronica.

"It's worth a shot," agreed Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf on that balloon!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it and unleashed a barrage of razor-sharp leaves at Team Rocket's balloon, causing the balloon to pop.

The balloon, now having been depleted of the hot air, fell down to the ground with a crash as Team Rocket let out a scream.

However, the eggs and the cartons were sent high into the air.

_(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos (as heard in "A Promise is a Promise"))_

"The eggs!" cried Veronica.

"Okay, everybody, catch the eggs! Go!" shouted Tristan as he took out his Fast Ball, Lure Ball, and his two Poké Balls and threw them all.

His Cyndaquil, Totodile, Venusaur, and Blastoise all emerged from the white light that shot out of them and readied themselves.

Chikorita, who was already out, extended two green vines and caught two of the egg cartons.

Venusaur caught two more eggs using its vines.

Blastoise caught two more in its hands.

Cyndaquil and Totodile each caught one.

Tristan and Veronica caught the last two.

However, the egg that was about to hatch was still falling.

"Oh, no!" cried Veronica. "That egg's gonna break!"

Fortunately, Pikachu saw the falling egg, ran as fast as it could, and caught the egg just before it hit the ground.

Tristan and Veronica sighed with relief.

"Nice catch, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"They're all safe and sound," smiled Veronica.

However, Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet crawled out from their wrecked balloon.

"Oh, yeah? Let's see how safe you are after a Pokémon battle!" shouted Jessie as she took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "I choose you, Arbok!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Just Waiting on a Friend"))_

A purple cobra Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Go and get 'em, Victreebel!" ordered James as he threw a Poké Ball.

A yellow bell-like Pokémon with leaves and a vine emerged from the white light that shot out of it and let out a shriek as it bit down on James' head.

"Do you mind?!" shouted James.

"Let's do it, Pikachu," said Tristan.

Pikachu agreed as it prepared for battle.

However, Veronica had her own idea. "Let me take care of this," she suggested as she took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Eevee!"

Veronica's Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Arbok, use your Poison Sting now!" ordered Jessie.

Arbok shot poisonous needles at Eevee.

"Go, Eevee, hit it with Quick Attack now!" commanded Veronica.

Eevee sped toward Arbok and zigzagged to dodge Poison Sting and rammed into it as a white line trailed behind it.

Tristan was impressed. "Now that's fast."

Pikachu agreed.

"Victreebel, Razor Leaf, go!" shouted James.

Victreebel shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves.

"Eevee, use your Quick Attack again!" commanded Veronica.

Once again, Eevee charged forward as a white line trailed behind it, zigzagging as it went, and rammed into it hard.

"Dat old lady's got a real spine!" remarked Meowth.

"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet.

"Come on, Arbok, don't let that pipsqueak beat you!" barked Jessie. "Okay, Wobbuffet, go!" And she shoved Wobbuffet into battle.

"Eevee, Tackle attack now!" ordered Veronica.

Veronica charged toward Wobbuffet full-body style.

"Wobbuffet, Counter attack!" shouted Jessie.

Wobbuffet's body glowed in a red light as it raised its tail.

Unfortunately, as Eevee rammed into Wobbuffet, the force of its Tackle attack was sent right back at it with twice the force, causing it to be sent reeling backward.

"Eevee, are you okay?" cried Veronica.

"That Wobbuffet's Counter attack is really strong!" gasped Tristan.

"Arbok, finish it with Wrap attack now!" ordered Jessie.

Arbok shot forward and proceeded to wrap its body around a defenseless Eevee

"Eevee, don't give up!" shouted Veronica. "I believe in you!"

Eevee managed to get back on its feet and let out a cry as it was suddenly bathed in a bright white light, much to everyone's shock.

Arbok was bounced off by that very light as everyone looked on.

"What's going on with Eevee?" asked Veronica.

"Eevee's starting to evolve!" gasped Tristan.

Sure enough, Eevee was evolving, and as it did, it grew just a little taller, its tail became forked, and its legs became slender. When it had finished evolving, it had lilac fur and a red gem on its forehead.

"That's awesome," said Tristan. "That little Eevee evolved into Espeon!"

Veronica was amazed. "Eevee evolved for me when I needed it most." She turned to Team Rocket. "All right, let's see what you've got!"

"Okay, Victreebel, Vine Whip it!" ordered James.

Victreebel extended its vine toward Espeon.

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "The Little Big Horn")))_

But Espeon knew it was coming as its gem glowed, and it unleashed a mysteriously colored beam from it at both Victreebel and Arbok, scoring direct hits on both of them.

"What was that?" asked Veronica.

"That was a Psybeam!" answered Tristan.

Arbok and Victreebel had dazed expressions on their faces as they danced about aimlessly.

"Oh, come on, Arbok, this is no time to be playing around!" shouted Jessie.

"Victreebel, snap out of it!" barked James.

"Dat Psybeam must've gotten 'em mixed up!" said Meowth.

"Espeon, Quick Attack!" ordered Veronica.

Espeon sped toward Arbok and Victreebel as a white line trailed behind it. It scored a direct hit on both of them, causing them to crash into Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet.

"Your turn, Tristan, so send them packing," said Veronica.

"Okay," replied Tristan. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt on them!"

Pikachu leaped high into the air, focused the electricity in its cheeks, and shot a powerful bolt of electricity on Jessie, James, Meowth, and their Pokémon, causing an explosion that sent them skyward.

"That Espeon was tough to beat," groaned James.

"Our egg plan laid an egg!" added Jessie.

"Guess we're da ones dat got scrambled," finished Meowth.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they yelled as they disappeared in the sky.

"Wobbu, Wa!" Wobbuffet's voice echoed as they disappeared.

_DING!_

"You were awesome, Grandma," said Tristan. "That Espeon's really something."

"Well, I did have help," replied Veronica as she stroked her Espeon on the head. Then she pointed to all of Tristan's Pokémon. "Thanks to all of you, we have all of my parents' eggs back safe and sound."

"She's right, guys, great job," commended Tristan.

All of the Pokémon cheered happily as they celebrated their victory.

Suddenly, Veronica collapsed on one knee.

"Grandma, are you okay?" asked Tristan as he and the Pokémon quickly rushed to her.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, dear," replied Veronica. "It's just from all that running."

"Come on, let's all carry the eggs back to the house," suggested Tristan.

Veronica nodded in agreement.

* * *

Back at the house, everyone was waiting anxiously for Tristan and Veronica's return. Presently, they saw Tristan and Veronica and the Pokémon slowly carrying the eggs.

"Hey, there they are!" said Hillary excitedly.

"And the eggs are safe and sound, too," added Rachael.

"Hey, guys!" replied Tristan.

"Ah, there's our young hero," said Eric.

"Yeah, and Grandma's with him," added Hillary.

Everyone met Tristan and Hillary.

"How can we thank you for saving our eggs from that nasty Team Rocket?" said Stuart.

"No need to thank us, Dad," replied Veronica. "The Pokémon did all the work."

Tristan nodded in agreement.

Eric saw the newly evolved Espeon. "My stars!" he exclaimed. "Did that little Eevee evolve?"

"Yes, dear," replied Veronica. "And it's really strong, too."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

That evening, everyone was waiting for the glowing yellow egg to hatch.

"It won't be long now," said Hillary. "I can't wait to see what it is."

"Trust me," replied Stuart. "We won't have to wait very long."

Presently, it glowed, and a shimmering tone was heard.

"Look, guys!" said Tristan. "The egg's hatching!"

Indeed, it was, and it changed shape to a bipedal Pokémon with a kite-shaped face. Its eyes were closed.

"It's an Abra," said Veronica.

"Awww, it's so cute!" remarked Hillary.

Abra gave a big yawn as it looked directly into Eric's eyes.

"What a healthy yawn it has!" added Eric.

"Maybe you'd like to take it along," suggested Stuart.

Eric was surprised. "You mean that? Oh, thank you. Well, Abra, looks like you're one of the family now."

Abra was so happy it embraced Eric as he hugged it.

Rachael and Stuart looked on happily.

"We can't thank you enough for protecting our eggs from that nasty Team Rocket," said Rachael.

"We owe you our gratitude," added Stuart.

"We're just glad we could help, Dad," replied Veronica.

Tristan handed Rachael Venusaur and Blastoise's Poké Balls. "Great-Grandma, I know you're gonna need Venusaur and Blastoise to help you breed more Pokémon, just like Charizard has, and I know you'll take care of them."

"Thank you so much, Tristan," replied Rachael as she gave him a gentle hug. "And Hillary, I just love your Furret. Could it possibly stay here for a while?"

Hillary turned to her Furret. "Well, what do you think, Furret?"

Furret hopped on Rachael's lap and made itself comfortable.

"I guess Furret really likes you, Great-Grandma," smiled Hillary as she handed Rachael Furret's Poké Ball. "Sure, it can stay." And she stroked Furret one last time as Furret embraced her one last time.

"Oh, thank you very much," said Rachael. "I'll take good care of it. I also have two special eggs for both you and Tristan." And she handed them two special egg cases.

The first case had a green Pokémon Egg while the second case had a yellow and black Pokémon Egg.

"I think I'll take the yellow egg," said Hillary. "It's yellow, and it reminds me of Pikachu."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Then I'll take the green egg," said Tristan.

Rachael handed the cases to Tristan and Hillary.

"That's so cool," remarked Veronica. "Two Trainers each carrying an egg."

* * *

As the sun set, Rachael and Stuart waved goodbye as Veronica, Eric, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi got into Veronica's car.

Veronica started the engine and drove away from the house.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Night soon fell as Veronica continued to drive the car.

"That was one of the best adventures so far, wasn't it, Hillary?" said Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "Spending time with family and saving Pokémon Eggs from Team Rocket...now what could be better than that?"

"And not only that, Grandma's Eevee evolved into an Espeon," added Tristan.

"Wow!" exclaimed Hillary. "I sure missed that."

Presently, lights could be seen in the distance.

"Hey, look!" said Hillary. "That must be it!"

Sure enough, there were many lights and skyscrapers.

"Goldenrod City," said Tristan. "We're finally here, Pikachu. Now we can focus on getting our next badge."

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

"But first, why don't we have a little dinner at the Pokémon Center?" suggested Eric. "I'm sure we could all use a bite after today's exciting adventure, right?"

"I'm in," agreed Tristan.

"Me, too," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly agreed.

"Yup," smiled Veronica. "Food always excites our young hero."

Everyone gave a good chuckle as they continued their drive to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

_After visiting their great-grandparents at their Pokémon Daycare and Nursery as well as saving the eggs from Team Rocket, Tristan and Hillary have finally made it to Goldenrod City. Many surprises await in a city this big as our heroes' journey to the Johto League continues._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	38. A VISIT TO MILTON'S FARM

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 38 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Whitney and her uncle, Milton, make appearances in this chapter. I've also decided to have Evan and Braden join them in this and the next chapter. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet up with their brothers, Evan and Braden, as well as their grandparents, plus Milton and her niece, Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader. Together, they learn about Milton's farm and the Miltank.**

**Chapter 38. A VISIT TO MILTON'S FARM**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_Our heroes, Tristan and Hillary have finally made it to Goldenrod City, home of Tristan's third Gym battle. Today, Tristan has high hopes of earning his third Johto League Gym badge, but little does he know that his hopes for a quick win will be dashed by one little technicality._

Veronica and Eric drove Tristan and Hillary through the streets of Goldenrod City the next morning.

"Goldenrod City's a lot bigger than I thought," remarked Hillary.

Eric nodded in agreement. "It's the largest city in the whole Johto region. There's always something for everyone to do."

"The only thing that's there for me is the Goldenrod Gym," said Tristan.

"We thought as much," smiled Veronica and Eric together.

Veronica's car pulled to a stop right in front of the Gym.

"Let's go, Pikachu!" said Tristan excitedly as he and Pikachu ran for the Gym.

"Hey, wait for us, Tristan!" called Hillary as she ran right behind him carrying Togepi as she went.

Veronica and Eric looked on.

"Well, there's no sense wasting time, dear," remarked Eric. "Those kids sure are fast."

"Reminds me of us when we were little kids," agreed Veronica as she and Eric came to the Gym's doors.

Unfortunately, when Tristan and Hillary came to the Gym's entrance, they noticed a sign.

"Closed?" gasped Tristan. "No fair!"

"We just have bad timing, huh?" said Hillary.

"I guess you'll have to come back there tomorrow," said Veronica.

Tristan felt sad as he and Hillary followed Veronica and Eric back to the car.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Bicycle 1999-2001)_

"Aw, don't feel bad," said Veronica to Tristan as she drove the car through the city. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation as to why the Gym is closed."

"I know," sighed Tristan, who was no longer feeling excited. "I was just super psyched and ready to battle the Gym Leader."

Pikachu felt sad, too.

"I wouldn't worry, grand-sonny," Eric assured him. "You'll get your Gym battle one way or another."

"Grandpa's right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "Before you know it, you'll be battling the Gym Leader, and you'll earn your third badge."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"Besides," added Veronica, "your grandfather and I have been wanting to take you someplace you'll really enjoy. It just might perk your spirit right back up again."

"What do you mean, Grandma?" asked Tristan.

"You'll see," promised Veronica.

"Hillary, you'll love this place, too," added Eric.

"Why's that, Grandpa?" asked Hillary.

"Well, you know that we always get delicious Moomoo Milk at the grocery store, and you kids always enjoy the taste of it," explained Veronica. "Not to mention that you'll grow up healthy and strong. So we decided to take you to a dairy just outside of Goldenrod City."

"A dairy?" Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"Think of it as a field trip, really," added Eric. "Now you'll get a chance to see how milk is processed."

"Now that's a tasty idea, guys," smiled Tristan. "I'm in."

"Me, too," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi were excited by the idea.

"That's the spirit, you two," smiled Eric.

"All right then, let's go to Milton's Dairy Farm," said Veronica as she continued to drive the car all over Goldenrod City.

* * *

Just outside the city limits, there was a farm and a large grassy pasture.

"Wow, that must be it, right?" said Tristan.

"Yes it is," answered Veronica. "I called Milton on the phone late last night after we got to Goldenrod City and asked him if we could stop by the farm today."

"And sure enough, he said yes," added Eric.

"Now we'll get to see where milk actually comes from, and we'll see how it gets processed, too," said Hillary.

"Just thinking about it makes me want to have some milk right now," added Tristan.

Veronica gave a good chuckle. "Now that's what I call thirsting for adventure." She then parked the car and everyone got out.

Hillary was amazed by the surroundings. "This is amazing. Whoever works here must take really good care of this place."

"I'll say," agreed Tristan. "It makes me just want to relax the day away."

Presently, a young teenage girl with pink hair tied in two ponytails walked up. She wore a white shirt with pink stripes on the sleeves and short white shorts. "Oh, hello, there," she said. "You must be the guests my uncle Milton was talking about."

"That's us," replied Veronica.

The girl then saw Pikachu perched on Tristan's shoulder. "Oh, wow! A Pikachu! It's so cute!" She gently took Pikachu and held it in her arms.

"Hey, be careful, miss, that's a..." Tristan began. But he saw that Pikachu took a liking to the girl almost immediately.

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

"Aren't you just the cutest little thing?" said the girl. "I'd sure like to show you around the farm." She then noticed Hillary's Togepi. "Oh, a cute Togepi! May I hold it?"

"Sure, I guess," said Hillary.

The girl gently picked up Togepi and put it in her arms just as Pikachu climbed onto the girl's shoulder. "I just love cute Pokémon. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Whitney."

"Hi, Whitney, my name's Tristan," said Tristan. "This is my sister, Hillary. And you've met Pikachu and Togepi."

"Hello," greeted Hillary.

"I'm Eric and this is my wife, Veronica," said Eric. "We're Tristan and Hillary's grandparents."

"It's so nice to meet you all," smiled Whitney. "Let me take you to my uncle Milton so you can meet him."

Presently, a man with a mustache came up to them. He had a cowboy hat on his head and a red bandanna around his neck. "Hey, Whitney, you got visitors?"

"Yes, Uncle Milton," replied Whitney. "This is Veronica and Eric, and their grandchildren, Tristan and Hillary."

"Well, howdy, there," replied Milton. "So you're the ones I've been expecting. Come on and follow me. I'll show you around the farm."

* * *

As Milton and Whitney led Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents around the farm, they noticed scores of pink bipedal bovine Pokémon with yellow bellies. They had small white horns on their heads and long, thin tails that were tipped with black spheres. Some of them were grazing on the fresh grass while others dozed.

"Holy cow!" exclaimed Veronica and Eric as they looked at them all.

"I've never seen those Pokémon before," said Tristan.

"Whatever they are, there sure are a lot of them," added Hillary.

"Those are Uncle Milton's Miltank," explained Whitney.

"Right, Whitney," agreed Milton. "I take care of all of my Miltank, and they help me take care of the farm in return."

"Let's find out more about Miltank," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex, Dexter, and scanned them.

_"Miltank, the Milk Cow Pokémon. Miltank produces very nutritious milk, a perfect drink for reviving sick Pokémon. Miltank are very even tempered, and prefer not to battle."_

"Wow, I never knew that the milk that we drink could come from these Miltank," said Tristan.

"Uncle Milton always knows that the freshest milk is the best milk," explained Whitney. "Why don't we all go into the farmhouse and try those things together?"

"Okay," replied Tristan and Hillary as they went with Whitney and Milton into the farmhouse.

Veronica and Eric followed.

* * *

Inside, two other people were enjoying the fresh Miltank milk that Milton had served them. They were Evan and Braden, Tristan and Hillary's brothers.

"Wow, this is great stuff!" said Evan.

"Yeah," agreed Braden. "I know that Grandma and Grandpa said that Tristan and Hillary were on their way to Goldenrod City. I'm sure that they'd love the fresh taste of the Miltank dairy products.

Presently, Milton came into the room. "Hey, you two, we got more visitors!"

Tristan and Hillary came into the room, and were pleasantly surprised to see Braden and Evan there.

"Wow! Tristan, look, it's Braden and Evan!" cried Hillary excitedly.

"No kidding!" agreed Tristan as he and Hillary quickly came over to meet them.

Whitney, Veronica, and Eric followed them.

"Hey, guys," smiled Braden. "Long time, no see."

"Yeah, great timing," added Evan.

"What are you doing back in Goldenrod City?" asked Hillary.

"Grandma and Grandpa told us that you were coming over," explained Braden. "So we decided to see if we could visit with you and see how you were doing."

"I'm doing great," replied Tristan. "I have two badges so far, and I caught a Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and a Totodile."

"And I also participated in the Little Cup," added Hillary.

"That's awesome!" said Braden. "I'm almost jealous."

"We heard you had a nice visit with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa," said Evan. "How are they?"

"Your great-grandmother recently had an accident, but was recently released from the hospital," answered Veronica. "She's doing better now, but still taking it easy. Your great-grandfather seems to be doing okay, too.

"And we even helped rescue their eggs from Team Rocket," added Hillary.

"And Hillary and I got eggs of our own to take care of," finished Tristan.

"Oh, speaking of eggs, Tristan, I was wondering if you'd left your Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise with them," said Braden.

"Come on, Braden, don't pressure Tristan like that!" scolded Hillary. "Those three Pokémon were three of his best Pokémon! He left them there to do you a favor!"

"It's all right, sis," said Tristan. "Yes, Braden, they're all there and helping Great-Grandma Rachael with the eggs. And I'm sure they'll get along with her very well. Besides, they might have some eggs waiting for you when you get there. Not only that, when they hatch, there'll be more starter Pokémon to give away at Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town to give to new Trainers when he gets them."

"Oh, yeah, good point," said Hillary.

"Thanks, Tristan," smiled Braden. "This'll really help me add some new information to my Pokédex."

"Hey, anybody care for a taste of fresh milk?" asked Milton.

"We do!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Hey, Tristan, why don't you and Hillary let out your Pokémon to try some of the fresh milk, too?" suggested Whitney.

"Okay," replied Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball, Fast Ball, and Lure Ball. "Come on out, guys!"

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile all emerged from the white lights that shot out of Tristan's Poké Balls..

"Don't forget about mine!" added Hillary as she took out some of her Poké Balls.

Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, and Eevee emerged from the white lights that shot out of them and sat next to Togepi.

"Drink up, guys!" said Tristan and Hillary to their Pokémon.

Everyone drank up the milk, and they were so in love with the taste that they all asked for seconds, much to Whitney and Milton's delight.

"I'll go get some more things for you guys to try," said Whitney.

"Good idea," agreed Milton as Whitney went into the kitchen.

A moment later, she emerged with several things in hand, including yogurt, ice cream, cheese, and milkshakes. "Who wants a sample of some of this?"

"I'd love to have a taste of that yogurt," said Tristan.

"I'll have some cheese," put in Hillary.

"Milkshakes for me!" added Braden.

"Ice cream, please!" finished Evan.

"Help yourselves!" smiled Whitney.

"Thanks, Whitney!" replied Tristan, Hillary, Evan, and Braden together. And they all enjoyed the delicious taste of all the Miltank dairy products.

* * *

Later, Milton and Whitney showed everyone the milking machines inside the barn.

Milton attached the tubes to three of the Miltank's udders and teats while they were kept comfortable on soft piles of hay. "This is how we milk the Miltank, kids," he said as he started the machine up.

Instantly, the milk went through the tubes and into the containers on the machine.

"So that's how Miltank get milked, right?" said Hillary.

Milton nodded.

"Those Miltank sure don't mind that very much, do they?" remarked Evan.

"Milton helps the Miltank give the milk while they're relaxing," explained Eric.

"That's right, Eric," smiled Milton.

"And once it gets processed, it gets delivered to grocery stores all over the Johto region," added Veronica.

"Right again," smiled Milton.

"Isn't it a hard job doing it all by yourself?" asked Braden.

"Not with all the Miltank helping me," chuckled Milton. "It can be hard sometimes, though. But Whitney stops by every once in awhile and helps me around the farm."

"I'm gonna go train with my Pokémon for a little bit, Uncle Milton," said Whitney as she ran out of the barn.

Milton watched her go. "Ah, to feel as young and energetic as her again," sighed Milton. He then turned to Tristan, Hillary, Evan, and Braden. "Why don't you kids go outside for a while and have some fun? I'll be there to join you in a little bit."

"Okay," they all replied.

Veronica and Eric agreed.

* * *

They came to a large hill as Whitney stood on top.

"I wonder what Whitney's gonna do," said Hillary.

"Let's watch," replied Braden.

"Miltank, I choose you!" shouted Whitney as she threw a Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle (as heard in "One Trick Phony"))_

Her Miltank emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked stronger than all the other Miltank.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"She's got a Miltank, too!" exclaimed Tristan.

Braden nodded. "I remember facing this Miltank in my Gym battle with Whitney during my journey through Johto as well," explained Braden. "It gave me real trouble when I first faced off against her."

"What do you mean, Braden?" asked Hillary.

"You'll see," replied Braden.

"Miltank, use Rollout to roll down the hill!" instructed Whitney.

Instantly, Miltank rolled into a ball and began to spin round and round. As it rolled down the hill, it rolled faster and faster.

"Whoa, that's fast!" gasped Hillary. "So, Tristan, do you have any second thoughts on facing that Miltank in your Gym Battle?"

Tristan said nothing. He just kept concentrating on Whitney's Miltank.

"Now, Miltank, roll back up the hill!" commanded Whitney.

Quickly, Miltank turned around and rolled up the hill, still spinning around and around. Despite the upward climb, it still had the momentum from going downhill.

"So that's what that Miltank's doing," said Hillary.

Braden nodded in agreement. "The more time Miltank has when using its Rollout attack, the faster it goes; and the faster it goes, the more powerful its Rollout attack becomes."

Tristan silently agreed. _Braden may be right about that, _he thought. _There's no way that my Pokémon would stand a chance against Miltank's Rollout attack in a normal Gym. There has to be some way to beat it. But what?_

Veronica and Eric were impressed with Whitney's Miltank's incredible speed.

"I could certainly learn a thing or two from Whitney," remarked Veronica.

"That Miltank sure is on a roll," agreed Eric. "It's having a wheel good time."

At that moment, Miltank had reached the top of the hill and got out of its spin.

"Well done, Miltank!" praised Whitney as she gently stroked it.

Her Miltank happily replied.

Miltank did some more Rollout attacks going downhill and back uphill.

After a few minutes, Whitney called her Miltank back. "Why don't you take a little break?"

Her Miltank smiled as Whitney returned it to its Poké Ball.

As Whitney started walking back to the farmhouse, Milton came outside to join Tristan and his family members. He had finished his work for the the afternoon. "Ah, so Whitney and her Miltank are rolling right along," remarked Milton. "That's what being a good Gym Leader is all about, isn't it?"

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock. "Whitney's the Gym Leader?!"

"That's right!" smiled Milton.

Whitney came to Milton. "Oops, I guess I should've mentioned that one."

"We saw that the Gym was closed today," explained Hillary.

"Oh, never mind that silly sign," smiled Whitney. "Today's actually my day off, so I thought I'd stop by the farm to see Uncle Milton."

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (Ash Appears))_

"Whitney," said Tristan, "I was hoping that you'd accept my challenge for a Gym battle."

"I'd be happy to open up the Gym for you, Tristan," replied Whitney, "but since today's such a beautiful day, why don't we have it out here on the hill near the farm?"

Tristan was confused. "Why here?"

"It'll give more room for our Pokémon to battle instead of at the Gym," explained Whitney. "What do you say?"

"Besides, a Gym is just a building," added Milton. "And defeating the Gym Leader's toughest Pokémon out here will prove that you're ready for any situation."

"Well, Milton's right, grand-sonny," said Eric. "Do you want to do it here?"

Tristan gave the matter a lot of thought. At last, he said, "It's a deal. Out here it is."

"Great!" smiled Whitney. "Then let's get ready."

"Wow, so they're battling out here!" said Evan excitedly. "I can't wait to see how this turns out!"

"Yes, let's hope Tristan has a strategy in mind to defeat that Miltank," added Braden.

"Knowing him, he'll come up with the perfect strategy when the time is right," said Veronica.

"Good luck, Tristan," whispered Hillary.

* * *

_And so, Tristan issues a challenge to Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader, on the farm just outside of Goldenrod City. What strategy will Tristan have up his sleeve? Find out next time when Tristan faces her for a Johto League Plain Badge!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	39. OPERATION ROLLOUT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 39 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Veronica, Eric, Evan, and Braden make appearances, but Whitney and Milton from the anime do, too. I was inspired to write this chapter after my experiences in the Goldenrod Gym on the Gold, SIlver, and Crystal version games where Clefairy's Metronome morphed into an Aeroblast attack. Also, this chapter is based off the ****_Pokémon: Johto League Champions _****episode "A Dairy Tale Ending." But I've added a few twists as you'll soon see. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: It's Tristan versus Whitney at the Miltank Dairy. After a fierce battle, will Tristan come out on top and earn the coveted Plain Badge he worked so hard for?**

**Chapter 39: OPERATION ROLLOUT**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Chikorita's Big Upset"))_

_After our heroes visited their great-grandparents at their Pokémon nursery, our heroes, accompanied by their grandparents made it to Goldenrod City. Eager to press on and be one step closer to competing in the Johto League, our heroes and their grandparents went to the Goldenrod Gym so that Tristan could challenge the Gym Leader for a Johto League Plain Badge. But last time, Tristan's excitement was short-lived, for he and Hillary found out that the Gym was closed. So they decided to pay a visit to the Miltank dairy farm just outside of town._

_There they met Milton and his niece, Whitney, little realizing that Whitney was the Goldenrod Gym Leader._

_Our heroes were pleasantly surprised to see their brothers Evan and Braden taking a break from the journey in Kanto to visit with them. They all enjoyed the fresh taste of the dairy products while in the process, they learned more about Miltank and how it produced the milk._

_But while they watched Whitney train with her strong Miltank, she revealed her status as Gym Leader to the surprise of our heroes._

_Immediately upon the realization, Tristan challenged her to a Gym battle; however, Whitney suggested that they battle on the hill, a challenge Tristan happily accepted._

_So now, after much anticipation and journeying, Tristan's third Johto League Gym battle is about to begin! Having seen Whitney's powerful Miltank in action, and without his Venusaur and Blastoise to aid him, will Tristan still be able to find a way to defeat it and win his third Johto League Gym badge?_

* * *

"Wow," said Braden as he and the others prepared to watch Tristan's battle with Whitney. "It's been a long time since I've seen someone else compete in a Gym battle. Besides me, anyway."

"Yeah, but Tristan's never gone up against a Miltank before," reminded Hillary, "especially one that knows how to use Rollout."

"Do you know what the rules are for this Gym battle, Braden?" asked Veronica.

"Last time I challenged Whitney, it was three-on-three," answered Braden. "But since we're seeing a Gym battle at the farm instead of at the Gym, the rules could change."

"Is that really possible?" asked Evan.

"I'm sure that's happened in the past," replied Hillary. "But it all depends on what Pokémon Whitney uses first. You can count on her using that powerful Miltank of hers."

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme)_

Tristan and Pikachu were eagerly awaiting the start of the battle as they faced Whitney on the hill.

Milton came to the field to judge the match as he carried red and green flags. "I used to be a judge back in my younger days, but I should tell you that this official Gym battle between Tristan from New Bark Town and Whitney the Goldenrod Gym Leader will now begin. Each Trainer will use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three of one side's Pokémon are unable to battle. Only the challenger will be allowed to switch Pokémon."

"Well, Tristan, I hope you're ready for a good battle," said Whitney. "Just because we're friends doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

"Fine by me, Whitney," replied Tristan.

Whitney took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "I choose Nidorina!"

A light blue quadruped Pokémon with dark blue patches emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Evan was confused. "Why Nidorina? Nidorina's not a Normal-type."

"My guess is that she wanted to throw Tristan off guard," replied Eric. "However, he doesn't seem to be fazed by that choice."

"So, Nidorina's the first up," said Tristan as he threw his Fast Ball. "Cyndaquil, I choose you!"

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it and prepared to face Nidorina.

"Let's begin now!" said Whitney. "Nidorina, Tackle attack!"

Nidorina charged full-body style straight towards Cyndaquil.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" commanded Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped high into the air and avoided Nidorina's Tackle attack.

"Yeah, that was great, Cyndaquil!" commended Tristan.

"Your Cyndaquil's light on its feet," remarked Whitney. "But we're just getting started. Nidorina, Double Kick!"

Now it was Nidorina's turn to jump into the air, and using its hind legs, it landed two well-placed kicks on Cyndaquil, sending it plummeting to the ground.

Evan and Hillary gasped in shock, for they didn't know that Whitney's Nidorina could have a Double Kick that strong.

"Poor Cyndaquil!" said Hillary.

"Let's hope it's all right!" added Evan.

"That Double Kick must've taken Cyndaquil by surprise," remarked Veronica.

"It probably took Tristan by surprise, too," added Eric.

"Cyndaquil, can you stand up?" asked Tristan.

Cyndaquil easily got back up on its feet, for Nidorina's Double Kick did little more than help Cyndaquil focus even more on the match.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" said Tristan excitedly. "All right, Whitney, what else have you got?"

"Now, Nidorina, Poison Sting!" instructed Whitney.

Nidorina shot poisonous needles from its mouth at Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, dodge using Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil zigzagged as a white line trailed behind it, allowing it to dodge Poison Sting.

"That Cyndaquil gets faster every time it battles," remarked Hillary. "It makes me wonder how my Cyndaquil can even keep up at that speed."

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower attack!" commanded Tristan.

Cyndaquil, having already ignited the flame on its back, shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Nidorina.

"Nidorina!" cried Whitney.

"Yes!" said Braden. "That sure hit the mark!"

"Now's your chance, Tristan!" called Hillary.

"All right, Cyndaquil, finish it off with Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

Cyndaquil charged full-body style toward Nidorina and scored a direct hit on it, causing it to be sent flying.

"No, Nidorina!" cried Whitney.

Nidorina had a dazed look in its eyes as it fell to the ground. It had been knocked out.

"Nidorina is unable to battle...Cyndaquil wins!" declared Milton as he raised his green flag.

"Excellent job, Cyndaquil," commended Tristan.

Cyndaquil smiled happily as it rejoiced in its first victory.

Whitney recalled her Nidorina and held her Poké Ball close to her. "You did a great job, Nidorina. And so did you, Tristan. Your Cyndaquil's really strong. But don't expect this to be over so easily." She took out her second Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Clefairy!"

A bipedal pink Pokémon with a vaguely chubby star-shaped body emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had black pointy ears, a pink, curly tail, and pink butterfly wings.

"Aw, that Clefairy looks so cute!" said Hillary.

Togepi seemed to agree.

"Yes, dear, but remember, looks can be deceiving," replied Veronica.

"Clefairy, use your Metronome!" commanded Whitney.

Clefairy waved its arms in a rhythmic motion.

"You'd better be careful, Cyndaquil, because that Clefairy's Metronome can dish out any attack," advised Tristan.

Cyndaquil nodded.

Clefairy continued to wave its arms. At last it stopped, and its arms glowed brightly.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Suddenly, a powerful blue beam of energy shot out from Clefairy's mouth.

Whitney and Milton both gasped in shock as the beam was launched.

"Cyndaquil, look out!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late, for that beam came at Cyndaquil so fast that Cyndaquil had no time to react. As a result, the beam struck Cyndaquil full-force, sending it careening into the air.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Tristan.

Tristan and everyone else standing behind him shielded their faces from the intensely strong winds that followed.

"What's going on here?!" bellowed Evan.

Just as the wind stopped, Cyndaquil fell from the sky and landed on the ground with a crash.

"That was perfect, Clefairy!" cheered Whitney.

Clefairy smiled as it jumped for joy.

"What _was _that?" asked Braden.

"That must've been Aeroblast," replied Hillary. "Only the legendary Pokémon Lugia can use that attack."

"Under normal circumstances, yes," replied Veronica. "But since it was used via Metronome, that random attack was able to be executed by Clefairy."

"Cyndaquil, can you keep battling?" asked Tristan.

Cyndaquil slowly struggled back to its feet as its flame continued to burn.

"Whoa, that Aeroblast attack really took its toll on Cyndaquil," said Braden nervously. "Tristan had better think fast if he wants to end this match."

_(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

"Let's keep the pressure up, Clefairy!" commanded Whitney. "Use DoubleSlap attack now!"

Clefairy charged forward and repeatedly slapped Cyndaquil using its hands.

"Cyndaquil, move back and use your Smokescreen attack!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped back from Clefairy and unleashed a cloud of black smoke from its mouth, enveloping itself in it.

The smoke was so thick that Clefairy couldn't see through it.

"Great move!" said Hillary. "Using Smokescreen should give Cyndaquil an opportunity to launch a sneak attack!"

Whitney frantically searched for Cyndaquil as the smoke continued. "I can't see a thing through this smoke."

"Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

A powerful stream of fire blasted through the Smokescreen, causing the entire cloud of smoke to ignite, sending Clefairy reeling backward.

"Oh, no, Clefairy!" cried Whitney.

Clefairy dug its feet into the ground as it struggled to maintain its balance.

"Way to hang in there, Clefairy!" commended Whitney. "All right, use your Metronome again!"

Clefairy waved its arms in a rhythmic motion just like it did before.

"Metronome again? But why?" asked Braden.

"If I had to guess, Whitney wants to finish Cyndaquil off before it can do any more damage," replied Eric.

"Well, let's hope that Cyndaquil can survive another random attack," said Hillary nervously. "Because if Metronome turns out to be another powerful attack, it could cause big problems."

"Okay, Cyndaquil, your Smokescreen worked before, so let's do it again!" instructed Tristan.

Cyndaquil shot another black cloud of smoke in Clefairy's direction.

Clefairy continued to concentrate as it waved its fingers back and forth.

"We're not falling for that trick again," said Whitney. "Okay, Clefairy, let 'er rip!"

Suddenly, Clefairy's hands glowed, and it unleashed a powerful blast of water right through the smoke.

"Yikes!" cried Evan. "That's a Hydro Pump!"

"That attack will be super-strong against a Fire-type like Cyndaquil!" added Hillary.

"That's two powerful attacks from Clefairy's Metronome," remarked Veronica.

Sure enough, that's what it was, and the water was headed straight for Cyndaquil at breakneck speed.

"All right, Cyndaquil, jump on top of the water!" instructed Tristan.

Cyndaquil jumped as high as it could and landed on top of the water, much to the surprise of Whitney and Clefairy.

"That's it, now hit it with Quick Attack, go!" shouted Tristan.

Cyndaquil went faster as a white line trailed behind it, then it struck Clefairy head on, sending it flying.

"No, Clefairy!" cried Whitney.

Clefairy fell to the ground with a dazed expression its its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Clefairy is unable to battle...Cyndaquil wins!" declared Milton as he raised his green flag in the air.

"Way to tough it out, Cyndaquil!" commended Tristan.

Whitney took her Clefairy off the field and gently set it down next to her. "You were awesome, Clefairy," she said. "You just take it easy for a while."

Clefairy nodded as it looked on.

"All right, Tristan, it's time for my third and final Pokémon," said Whitney. "And you know that it's one tough cookie."

When Cyndaquil heard the word "tough," it turned up the flame on its back.

Whitney took out her third Poké Ball and threw it. "Miltank, I choose you!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (slightly higher pitched (as heard in "Love, Pokémon Style")))_

Whitney's Miltank emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked like it was ready to rock and roll.

"Well, this is it," said Evan nervously. "Two of Whitney's Pokémon down and only one tough Miltank to go."

"Hey, if I can beat that Miltank, then Tristan can, too," said Braden.

"But don't forget Cyndaquil looks like it's pretty tired," remarked Hillary.

"Yes, it does seem that way, doesn't it?" agreed Veronica.

"All right, Cyndaquil, let's win this!" said Tristan.

Cyndaquil nodded in agreement and charged into battle.

"All right, let 'Operation: Rollout' begin!" said Whitney. "Miltank, use Rollout attack!"

Miltank rolled into a wheel and started rolling down the hill at breakneck speed.

"Cyndaquil, use your Quick Attack to stop it!" ordered Tristan.

Cyndaquil sped toward Miltank as a white line trailed behind it.

Unfortunately, Miltank was rolling so fast that Quick Attack proved to be useless against it.

So as Cyndaquil struck Miltank head on, it took on the damage itself as it was sent flying.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Tristan.

"This isn't looking good at all," said Hillary.

"You're right," agreed Veronica. "That Rollout attack is just gonna keep getting stronger and stronger."

Cryndaquil crashed into the ground with a hard thud.

"You're doing great, Cyndaquil, just hang in there," encouraged Tristan.

Cyndaquil struggled back on its feet and charged forward again.

"All right, Miltank, let's wrap it up with another Rollout attack!" instructed Whitney.

Miltank, still raring to go, rolled into a wheel and rolled down the hill again, but this time, it went faster and faster. It kept rolling on and on as it struck Cyndaquil over and over, dealing it more and more damage every time it struck.

"I think Cyndaquil may have reached its limit," said Evan.

"Cyndaquil did have two tough battles against Nidorina and Clefairy," agreed Eric. "And Miltank's Rollout seems to be wearing it out quickly.

Miltank kept rolling up and down the hill as it went faster and faster.

_Striking it head on won't do any good,_ thought Tristan. _My only choice is to have Cyndaquil attack it while it's a safe distance away. _"All right, Cyndaquil, it's now or never!" he shouted. "Blast it with your Flamethrower attack and this time, give it everything you've got!"

Cyndaquil unleashed its strongest stream of fire from its mouth and struck Miltank, who was still quickly rolling directly toward it.

"Miltank, push through that Flamethrower with all your might!" commanded Whitney.

Miltank was pushing hard as it tried to roll through Cyndaquil's Flamethrower as fast as it could.

Unfortunately for Cyndaquil, it was tiring out fast,

"Cyndaquil, get out of the way!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late, for Cyndaquil was struck full force by Miltank's Rollout, causing it to hit the ground with a hard thud.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Tristan.

Cyndaquil had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had finally been knocked out.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle...Miltank is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air.

"Oh, poor Cyndaquil," said Hillary sadly.

Togepi chirped just as sadly in agreement.

"That Cyndaquil really toughed it out toward the end," said Braden.

Tristan recalled Cyndaquil and held his Fast Ball close to him. "You did a great job, Cyndaquil. Now take a nice, long rest."

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle)_

"Now Tristan has two Pokémon left," said Veronica. "He has to figure out a way to stop that Miltank before his chances of victory get rolled over."

"But how can he do that, Grandma?" asked Evan.

"Well, if there's anything I've learned from Tristan's journey so far, he knows how to get out of a tight spot."

Eric nodded in agreement.

Tristan saw that Miltank was still ready to roll, even after taking damage from Cyndaquil's Flamethrower. He took out his Lure Ball. _Totodile, I know that you haven't been in a Gym battle yet,_ he thought._ But I believe in you, and we'll work together as a team to take that Miltank down. _Then he threw the Lure Ball and shouted, "Totodile, I choose you!"

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Be careful, Totodile," advised Tristan. "That Miltank's Rollout attack could give us big problems."

Totodile nodded.

"Miltank, use Rollout again!" commanded Whitney.

Miltank curled up into a ball and began to roll again, but this time, at a much faster speed.

"Quick, dodge it, Totodile!" shouted Tristan.

Totodile jumped out of the way just in time; however, Miltank continued to roll faster and faster.

"Okay, Totodile, Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the rolling Miltank, but Miltank's Rollout speed was so fast that Water Gun proved to be ineffective.

"Whoa, did you see that?" gasped Hillary. "That Miltank can even stand up to a Water Gun!"

"That's because Miltank's Rollout attack not only allows it to absorb opponents attacks, but also overpower the Pokémon at the same time," replied Veronica.

"Tristan'll lose if his Pokémon's attacks can't stop Miltank's Rollout attack!" said Evan worriedly.

Miltank rolled on and on in circles as Totodile kept dodging it and firing Water Gun at it.

_Water Gun doesn't seem to be working, _thought Tristan. _Miltank will just keep absorbing it. And I can't attack it directly, either. There has to be some way to stop it. But what?_

Just then, one of Totodile's Water Gun attacks blasted the ground, causing a trench to open up.

"That's it!" gasped Tristan. "If I can't strike Miltank, I can at least slow it down! Okay, Totodile, aim your Water Gun attack towards the ground now!"

Totodile shot blast after blast of water from its mouth toward the ground and dug ditches with it.

"Now what's Tristan up to?" asked Hillary.

"I'm a little puzzled about it myself," replied Eric.

Everyone else watched while Totodile kept using Water Gun to open more trenches.

Whitney was confused about what Tristan was planning until she realized what was going on. _I see, _she thought. _So that's what Tristan's doing. _"Miltank, don't let that Totodile get its way!" she shouted.

"Do it, Totodile!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile unleashed its Water Gun on the ground again, but this time, the attack propelled it into the air. Then, doing a backflip, it managed to land on top of the still-rolling Miltank.

"Incredible!" gasped Braden. "I've never seen a Totodile run on top of a Miltank before! Could this be Tristan's strategy to defeat it?"

"Hmm," replied Veronica. "I'm not sure. There has to be some reason why Totodile dug those ditches."

Totodile was struggling to keep its balance as Miltank kept rolling along. To Totodile, it was like running on a treadmill except that it wasn't a straight line that Miltank was rolling in.

"Hang in there, Totodile!" encouraged Tristan. "Use your Water Gun to stop it!"

Totodile was just about to launch its attack when...

"I don't think so, Tristan," said Whitney. "Miltank, shake that Totodile off!"

Miltank rolled from side to side, causing Totodile to get shaken off, tossing it high into the air.

"Finish it off, Miltank!" commanded Whitney.

Miltank jumped into the air and landed a clean hit on Totodile, causing it to hit the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Totodile!" gasped Tristan.

"Totodile is unable to battle...Miltank wins!" declared Milton as he raised his red flag in the air.

Tristan quickly recalled Totodile and held his Lure Ball close to him. "Thanks, Totodile, you were great." Then he turned to Pikachu, who was eagerly standing by as sparks crackled from the sacs on its cheeks. "Are you ready, pal?"

_(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Enter the Dragonite"))_

Pikachu nodded and eagerly charged into battle.

"That's two Pokémon down and one Pikachu to go," smiled Whitney.

Sure enough, both Tristan and Whitney were down to their last Pokémon: Tristan with Pikachu, and Whitney with Miltank.

"Let's hope Tristan has some strategy with those trenches," said Veronica nervously.

"Well, let's start hoping guys," said Evan. "I can't stand the suspense!"

"Hey, if you can't stand the suspense, just think about how Tristan and Pikachu must feel right now!" replied Hillary.

"Miltank, use your Rollout attack!" commanded Whitney.

Miltank rolled even faster straight towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu went from side to side as a white line streaked behind it.

Sure enough, Miltank spun faster and faster, and managed to sideswipe Pikachu as it got closer.

"Pikachu's in big trouble!" cried Braden.

"Maybe not," replied Veronica. "Look."

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered (as heard in "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

Sure enough, far from being in trouble, Pikachu managed to fall in one of the trenches that Totodile dug earlier to escape Miltank's Rollout.

However, Miltank managed to roll over another trench, causing it to lose its balance and get itself in big trouble instead.

"Miltank!" cried Whitney.

Miltank rolled over trench after trench as Pikachu stood by, waiting for the right moment to strike back.

Tristan watched as Miltank rolled closer and closer to Pikachu's trench.

On and on it rolled, as it continued wavering from side to side, until at last, it was close enough.

"Now, Pikachu!" he shouted.

Pikachu lifted its head up and flipped Miltank over, causing it to lose its balance and stop rolling as it fell to the ground.

"The Rollout attack stopped!" cried Hillary.

"This is Tristan's big chance," added Braden.

"Pikachu, Thunder attack!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it shot a powerful bolt of electricity directly at Miltank, scoring a direct hit on it, causing it to fall back to the ground.

Miltank struggled to get back up after taking the damage from Pikachu's Thunder, but the attack was too much for it to take, and it collapsed again, but this time, knocked out.

"Miltank, no!" cried Whitney.

"Miltank is unable to battle...Tristan and Pikachu win!" declared Milton.

Pikachu happily ran to Tristan as they rejoiced in their triumph.

"You were awesome, Pikachu!" commended Tristan.

But just as he said that, two white lights emerged from his pocket.

Cyndaquil and Totodile emerged from those white lights and came to celebrate with Tristan.

"Cyndaquil and Totodile, you were great, too," added Tristan.

"Ah, now I see!" said Braden. "Tristan used Cyndaquil to tire Miltank out, then he had Totodile dig some ditches to slow it down and knock it off balance. Finally, he had Pikachu flip it up, and ZAP!, a big Thunder attack was all it took to finish it off. That was a great strategy."

Tristan walked over to Whitney and Miltank. "Is Miltank gonna be okay?"

"Oh, it'll be fine," answered Whitney. "Miltank just needs a good rest, that's all. That strategy you used reminds me of how Ash used it against me some time ago. He had trouble at the Gym, but he won our rematch. And now, I have something to give you." She took out a badge that looked like a plain yellow diamond. "This is the Plain Badge, proof of your victory here at the Goldenrod Gym. Or should I say, out here at the Miltank dairy? You battled hard out here just like in a real Gym. Right, Uncle Milton?"

"That's right, Whitney," agreed Milton.

"Thank you so much, Whitney," replied Tristan. He happily raised his new badge and proclaimed, "We did it! The Plain Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

Cyndaquil and Totodile rejoiced in Tristan and Pikachu's triumph.

Everyone else proudly looked on.

* * *

_After battling hard at the Miltank Dairy, Tristan earns his third badge, getting him one step closer to entering the Johto League, but more importantly, proving that even when not battling in a Gym, he can take on any challenge that comes his way._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	40. THE RADIO STATION

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 40 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey to the Johto region. First of all, I based the radio experiences in Goldenrod City from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games, plus the _Pokémon: Johto League Champions _episode "Air Time!" The instrumental version of "All We Wanna Do" by Johto makes an appearance in this chapter as well. And DJ Mary from the anime and Buena from Pokémon Crystal Version also make appearances. Finally, I always knew I had some talent, but I never knew that I had a great announcing voice until I tested it for the first time when I got on the high school speech team in 2007. And that's what inspired me to have my own radio show and voice work in college, which I've enjoyed doing voice over work ever since. But I digress. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews. Enjoy!**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have to get to the radio station by midnight so that they can get their Poké Gears upgraded. But it's not as simple as it sounds with a few obstacles to deal with, and a few guest appearances.**

**Chapter 40: THE RADIO STATION**

_(Music Cue: Opening M01B 1997-1998)_

_Our heroes visited the Miltank Dairy, which was just on the outskirts of Goldenrod City. The Gym Leader, Whitney, challenged Tristan to battle on the hill just outside the dairy, which he happily accepted._

_(Music Cue: Opening M01C 1997-1998)_

_With the combined efforts of his Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Pikachu, Tristan managed to defeat Whitney and her Miltank, and earn the Plain Badge. Now with five badges to go before gaining entry into the Johto League, it's on to new and exciting adventures! The question now is, which one will be next?_

* * *

"What? What do you mean there's not enough room in the car?!" exclaimed Tristan as he watched Hillary, Evan, and Braden get in the back seat. It was in the middle of the afternoon, and he and his friends were preparing to leave the Miltank Dairy.

"We're sorry, dear, but there isn't enough room back there for four passengers," explained Veronica. "Besides, we only have three seat belts. And Hillary, your brothers, and your grandfather all want to stop and shop in the Goldenrod Galleria."

"We need to stop and get some things for your great-grandparents," added Eric.

"Hey, I can lead you to the Galleria if you swap out one of your passengers," suggested Whitney.

"It's a deal, Whitney," smiled Veronica. "Hillary, you stay with Tristan."

"What?!" exclaimed Hillary as Veronica tossed her her Togepi.

Everyone else got into the car.

"I'm sure you'll find your way back to Goldenrod City," said Whitney as Veronica started up the car. "It'll just take you a little longer, that's all."

"Have fun walking!" called Braden.

"Yeah, last one to the Galleria's a rotten Exeggcute!" added Evan as Veronica's car drove away.

_(Music Cue: Dejected)_

"Thanks a lot," said Hillary to herself.

"Now what do we do?" asked Tristan as he and Hillary sadly sat back down on the ground.

Pikachu felt just as sad about not going with Veronica, Eric, Evan, Braden, and Whitney.

"We've been rejected and dejected," grumbled Hillary.

"Not to mention dumped," added Tristan.

"Lonely."

"Forgotten."

"Crushed."

"Unhappy."

"Sad."

"Bad."

"Miserable."

"Glum."

Just then, Milton came up. "Hey now, why are you two looking so mopey?"

"Whitney, Grandma, and Grandpa took off for the Goldenrod Galleria without us," explained Tristan.

"There wasn't enough room in the car," added Hillary.

"Aw, cheer up," smiled Milton. "Don't be like that. Maybe some fresh milk will bring your spirits right back up. Come on inside and have some."

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were all drinking the fresh milk. It was tastier than the last time they drank it.

"Thanks, Milton," smiled Tristan. "I feel a lot better now. This milk really does perk me up."

"Yeah, it's even fresher than the last glass," added Hillary.

"I thought it might cheer you up," said Milton. "I'm gonna see what's on the radio." And he walked over to his radio and turned the switch on.

A cheery female voice was heard making an announcement. "Attention, Pokémon Trainers and fans! Does your PokéGear need an upgrade? Then come on over to our radio station, which is in the center of Goldenrod City. We're currently running a promotional campaign to upgrade your PokéGears! The rule is very simple: Answer five questions correctly, and you can win a radio card, which fits perfectly in your PokéGear. With it, you can listen to our radio broadcasts anywhere, anytime! So come on over to the radio station. But don't delay, this event goes until midnight tonight!"

"A promotional campaign?!" Tristan and Hillary could hardly believe their ears.

"We hate to drink and run, but we've got things to do!" called Tristan as he and Hillary raced out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, thanks for the milk, Milton!" added Hillary as Pikachu and Togepi followed.

"Don't you want seconds?" asked Milton.

"Maybe later!" called Hillary.

Milton was amused. "Something about that radio campaign sure perked them up big time."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Chikorita's Big Upset"))_

Tristan and Hillary rushed outside as fast as their legs would carry them.

"How will we reach Goldenrod City quickly?" asked Hillary. "It's still far away, and we only have a few hours before the event at the radio station ends."

"I'm sure Lugia can take us there!" replied Tristan as he touched the Silver Wing hanging around his neck.

As he touched it, it began to glow.

A huge gust of wind came through the air, nearly knocking all the nearby Miltank off their hooves, followed by the arrival of a pale, silver-white Pokémon with blue fins as it flew low alongside Tristan and Hillary.

_Whoa, you seem to be in a hurry,_ Lugia said. _I can speed things up for you if you'd like._

"Quick, let's climb on!" suggested Tristan.

Hillary nodded as she, Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi scrambled on Lugia. Just as Hillary put Togepi in her backpack, Lugia flapped its wings and quickly rose into the air.

"Great to see you, Lugia," said Tristan. "How have you been?"

_I've been well, _answered Lugia. _I'm still confused about the big hurry._

"We have to get to the radio station so we can upgrade our PokéGears with radio cards," explained Hillary.

"And we only have until midnight to do it," added Tristan.

_Well, why run there when you can go in style, right? _replied Lugia.

"Yeah!" agreed Tristan and Hillary.

_I can take you there easily, _smiled Lugia. _Now hold on! _And Lugia folded up its wings and plates, and went into a steep dive.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu held on as tightly as they could.

But then, Lugia raised its plates, flapped its wings, and went back into a steep climb.

"That was great, Lugia!" commended Tristan.

"Yeah, you must've been training a lot!" added Hillary.

_What did you expect? _replied Lugia. _I didn't just learn how to fly for nothing, you know._

"All right!" said Tristan excitedly. "Next stop: the radio station in Goldenrod City!"

And Lugia increased its flying speed as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu flew on.

* * *

A few moments later, Lugia landed just outside the Goldenrod City Pokémon Center.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu quickly dismounted.

"Thanks a lot, Lugia," said Tristan.

_Anytime, _replied Lugia. _I have to go, but please call me back when you need me. _And with that, Lugia flapped its wings, creating a big gust of wind as it took off into the sky and disappeared.

"Let's get our Pokémon rested up, Tristan," suggested Hillary.

"Good idea," replied Tristan as he and Hillary quickly made their way inside the Pokémon Center lobby.

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Center M77B 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Pokémon Water War"))_

Nurse Joy saw them entering. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center," she smiled. "Was that a Lugia I saw outside just a minute ago?"

"Yes, it was," answered Tristan. "We had a fun time riding it. Could you take my Pokémon please?"

"And mine, too?" added Hillary.

"Sure, I'll take care of them," replied Nurse Joy as she took Pikachu, Togepi, and Tristan and Hillary's Poké Balls into the examination room.

Tristan and Hillary sat down on the benches to wait.

"Lugia's flying skills have gotten better and better," remarked Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "I wonder what it'll do next."

Just then, Tristan's PokéGear rang.

Tristan took it out of his backpack and answered it. "Hello, this is Tristan."

"Hey, Tristan, it's Evan!" It was Evan's voice. "We're having a fun time at the Goldenrod Galleria! We're getting lots of supplies. If you don't hurry and get them, you'll miss out."

"I wish we could come, Evan, but we have other things to do in Goldenrod City," replied Tristan. "I'll talk with you later, okay?" And he hung up. He then sighed. "I don't know why Evan does this sometimes."

"It's Evan," replied Hillary. "He likes to do that."

* * *

A few minutes later, Nurse Joy came out of the examination room carrying Pikachu, Togepi, and Tristan and Hillary's Poké Balls. "All of your Pokémon are fully rested and ready for action," smiled Nurse Joy. "One of you must've just been in a Gym battle."

"I was, and I won a Plain Badge," replied Tristan as he and Hillary took their Poké Balls. "Whitney's Miltank was really strong. It was tough dealing with its Rollout attack."

Pikachu nodded in agreement as it hopped back on Tristan's shoulder.

"Most of Whitney's challengers end up here with me after a tough loss," explained Nurse Joy. "You should be very happy. Your Pokémon are in much better shape these days than some of my other patients."

"We heard that there was a radio campaign at Goldenrod City's radio station," said Hillary. "Do you know anything about that?"

"Oh, yes," answered Nurse Joy. "This is a promotional event that occurs one week once a month where people can get their PokéGears upgraded so that they can listen to their radio on the go. It's very good for the radio station and the Trainers because it not only helps Trainers improve their PokéGear functionality, but it also draws in more listeners. Buena, our newest DJ here in Goldenrod City, has a password show for traveling Trainers."

"Tristan, if we can get our PokéGears upgraded now, we'll be able to tune in to Buena's show wherever we go!" said Hillary. "Wouldn't it be cool if we could meet Buena and most of the other DJs in person?"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" agreed Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi excitedly raced out of the Pokémon Center.

"Be careful out there in the big city!" called Nurse Joy as she saw them leave.

* * *

Some time later, they came to a big building with a tower on top.

"So that's the radio station," said Tristan as he and Hillary looked up.

"It's gigantic!" agreed Hillary. I've never seen anything like this up close."

Just then, a man came out of the building in fancy clothing and quickly ran toward them. "Excuse me, but do you know a Trainer named Trisan, who just won a Plain Badge?"

"Uh, I am, sir." Tristan was a bit surprised and confused by the approach.

"Come on in to the radio station!" said the man. "I'm the producer, and I was instructed by DJ Mary and Professor Oak to bring you inside because he got wind from Veronica that you won the Plain Badge!"

"Professor Oak's here? How?" Hillary was just as surprised and confused as Tristan was.

"Grandma sure knows how to spread the word," said Tristan to himself.

* * *

The producer took them past the lobby and through the hallways. There were many doors with ON AIR lights on them.

"These are our studios," explained the Producer. "In here, you'll find my friend, Reed, who's as energetic as a cowboy."

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's 7th Change (as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

Sure enough, as the ON AIR light went on, they peered through the window on the door and saw a man in a cowboy outfit speaking into the microphone. "Yee-haw! This is your favorite DJ Reed! How y'all doin' now? Whether you're up or way down low, don't you miss the Lucky Number Show!"

"The Lucky Number Show? What's that?" asked Tristan and Hillary.

"Now the rule is very simple, match any or all of the five numbers on your Original Trainer or OT number on your Pokédex and win a fabulous prize!" explained Reed as he drew a ticket from a box next to him. "This week's Lucky Number is...25443! I'll repeat that! This week's lucky number is...25443! Match that and go to the radio tower! Meanwhile, you just keep on listenin', and I'll be here on the Lucky Channel on Channel 8.5 on your radio dial!"

The ON AIR light then turned off.

"Your interview with Professor Oak and Mary is in 15 minutes, so you've got a little time for a chance to win a prize," said the producer. "Please, go on in." And he led Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi inside.

Reed saw them enter. "Well, now, you must be two youngins who came to participate in the Lucky Number Show, am I right?"

"I guess so," replied Hillary.

"Yes, that's right," added Tristan.

"Well, now, that's mighty nice to hear that!" said Reed excitedly. "As you know, this week's Lucky Number is 25443. Now who wants to go first?"

"I'll go!" said Tristan. The excitement of winning a prize excited him, but just as he was about to hand Reed his Pokédex, Hillary jumped ahead.

"I'll go, if you don't mind. After all, ladies first, right?" And she handed Reed her Pokédex.

"Showoff," muttered Tristan.

Reed looked over the Pokédex carefully, then the Lucky Number for the week. "Nope, none of your ID numbers match."

"That's too bad," said Hillary as Reed handed her her Pokédex back.

"My turn to try," said Tristan as he handed Reed his Pokédex.

Reed looked over the numbers. Then, he said, "Congratulations, kid! We have a match!"

_(Music Cue: Fanfare! Get Pokémon!)_

"I do?" asked Tristan.

"He does?" repeated Hillary.

"Yep!" replied Reed excitedly. "The lucky number this week is 25443 while Tristan's ID number is 45430! One of the digits matched...the middle number! As a reward, take this!" And he handed Tristan a round, gray object with little black dots on it.

"What's that?" asked Tristan.

"That's an Everstone," answered Reed. "It has the power to prevent your Pokémon from evolving if you don't want them to."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Reed. Thanks," said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu began to leave to meet up with the producer.

"Y'all come back soon now, ya hear?" called Reed as the door closed behind them.

* * *

"Oh, well," said Tristan. "At least I got something out of the deal."

"Yeah, in case any of your Pokémon decides not to evolve...or any one of mine," agreed Hillary.

"But now we have to get to DJ Mary's studio," said Tristan. "And it doesn't leave us much time to get to that promotional event."

"Oh, don't worry," said the producer. "This shouldn't take very long at all."

Presently, Professor Oak appeared along with a red-haired woman wearing a green shirt and round glasses.

"Hey, thanks for coming," smiled Professor Oak.

"It's good to see you again, Professor Oak," said Tristan. Then he turned to the woman. "So, you must be DJ Mary, right?"

"That's right," smiled the woman. "I am, in fact, DJ Mary. I was just wondering when you two would get here. And with Professor Oak, talking with us, I'm sure this'll be a great interview."

"Normally, Mary broadcasts her show during the late morning hours of the day," added Professor Oak, "but since there's a promotional campaign on right now, I figured we should do a special show together."

"Well, big bro, let's go in and make our radio debut," said Hillary. "Braden and Evan are gonna be so jealous."

"Let's do it," agreed Tristan. "This is so exciting, it's making me nervous."

"Don't worry, everything'll be fine," smiled Professor Oak as he and Mary showed Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi into the studio.

_(Music Cue: All We Wanna Do (instrumental (as heard in "Air Time")))_

Inside, there were four places to sit, with four microphones.

There was also music playing in the background.

"This studio is state of the art, and it's where I broadcast my morning radio show," explained Mary.

"This is awesome!" said Tristan.

"I've never seen anything like this," added Hillary.

"Now, just before we go on, I want you to imagine that we're not in radio, and we're in a Pokémon battle," suggested Mary.

"Yeah!" agreed Tristan and Hillary together.

Professor Oak smiled. He knew that battling was their specialty.

At that moment, the music faded out, and the engineer cued Mary to begin speaking on the microphone as the ON AIR light turned on.

"Welcome back to Poké Radio," said Mary. "This is DJ Mary, and I have the famous Professor Oak here with me on tonight's special show."

"Hello, boys and girls," smiled Professor Oak. "And thank you, Mary, for letting me be on your show tonight."

"And we have a special treat for you," continued Mary, "because we have two special guests: two Trainers who are brother and sister. Please welcome Tristan and Hillary, and their Pokémon, Pikachu and Togepi."

"Hi, everyone," said Tristan as he spoke into the microphone.

"We're happy to be here," added Hillary.

In the department store, Evan and Braden gasped in shock while Veronica and Eric smiled as they all listened on the speakers.

"Whoa, since when did Tristan become a celebrity?" asked Evan.

"Since he earned the Plain Badge," answered Veronica.

"No fair," complained Braden. "I won a Plain Badge and I never got to be on the radio."

"As you know, Tristan just earned a Plain Badge from the Goldenrod City Gym," explained Mary. "And he's got a very impressive collection of Pokémon with him. Tristan, could you tell our listeners what kind of Pokémon you have?"

"I have a Chikorita, Cyndaquil, a Totodile, and you've met Pikachu," answered Tristan.

Pikachu smiled in agreement.

"I also have a Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, but they're helping out some of my other relatives right now," continued Tristan. "And Pidgeot and Lapras are currently at Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town. We have a wonderful time playing and working together. I'm willing to work with any Pokémon friend I make so that we can be stronger as a team."

"That's the advice I give to him any chance I get, Mary," added Professor Oak.

"Now that's sound advice, Professor Oak," smiled Mary. "And Hillary, you're one of the youngest Pokémon Trainers ever to receive your first Pokémon! How did it start for you?"

"Well, Mary, Professor Oak gave me a Squirtle to help me out when we were tasked with stopping Team Rocket and helping Tristan save our parents and their Pokémon," explained Hillary. "Professor Oak and the Elite Four were so impressed that I was allowed to have a Pokémon of my very own at the age of eight."

"Wow, that's pretty incredible!" smiled Mary. "I never knew something like that could be possible."

"Well, she passed with flying colors, Mary," agreed Professor Oak.

"I also understand that you're trying to set your sights on a goal," said Mary. "Do you have one in mind?"

"Not yet, but I recently participated in a tournament called the Little Cup in Violet City," answered Hillary. "I didn't win, but I did pretty well: the best eight."

"That's exciting!" said Mary. "So what Pokémon do you have with you?"

"I currently have Cyndaquil, Eevee, Lapras,, and you know my Squirtle and Togepi."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"Where are you two planning to go next?" asked Mary.

"We're not sure yet, but..." Tristan quickly checked his map on his PokéGear. "Oh, yes! I remember. We're planning a trip to Ecruteak City so that I can battle the Gym Leader for my fourth Johto League badge."

Pikachu agreed excitedly.

"And here's something that may interest the both of you and to all the Trainers listening," continued Mary. "There's gonna be a big Water Pokémon tournament that's not too far away from here. And the grand prize will be a bunch of Water Stones."

"I can't wait!" said Hillary excitedly. "Can you, Tristan?"

"No, sis, not with my Totodile to help me out," agreed Tristan.

Professor Oak gave a good chuckle. "You two seem to be fired up for this tournament."

"And now, as part of our campaign, we have five questions for you to answer," said Mary. "Tristan and Hillary will need to work together as a team to get all five of them right. The first one's for Hillary. Can a Town Map be displayed on a Poké Gear?"

"You bet it can," answered Hillary. "That's why Tristan checked it for our next destination."

"Correct!" smiled Mary. "The second question is for Tristan, with no help from the Pokédex. Can Nidorina be a female only?"

Tristan didn't remember if Nidorina could be male or female. "Uh, yes?"

"That's right!" smiled Mary. "Question three is for Hillary. "Does Kurt, the Poké Ball expert in Azalea Town use Apricorn?"

"Yes he does," answered Hillary. "That's why Tristan and I got these special Poké Balls."

"So far so good," said Mary. "Question four is for Tristan. Magikarp can't learn any other attacks except Splash attack, Tackle, and Flail attack. Is that true?"

_Boy, I never knew that a single question could be about Magikarp, _thought Tristan. He then took a guess. "Yes?"

"Right again!" said Mary. "Okay, this last question is for the both of you. How many badges are required to get into the Johto League?"

"Eight!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Wow, you aced this quiz like champs!" smiled Mary. "Congratulations. I have your prize: a radio card for each of your Poké Gears. And a special Blue Card for when you tune in to Buena's Password later tonight."

"Yes!" said Tristan and Hillary together. "Thanks so much, Mary!"

"I'll be sure to give them to you as soon as we get into the next song," said Mary. "Remember, listeners, this event goes on until midnight tonight, so stop by the radio station before then and ace the quiz like these two Trainers just did. Stay tuned for more fun and excitement on Poké Radio!"

* * *

"Wow, you two were a big hit on the radio!" smiled Veronica as everyone convened at the Pokémon Center later that night.

"Maybe you'll be big celebrities like Professor Oak and DJ Mary someday," added Eric.

"Well, we did have our spotlight, but now I'm ready to get back into training," said Tristan. "Now that we have our stuff, we can tune in to the radio anytime."

"Yeah!" said Hillary as she inserted the radio card into the Poké Gear, tuned into a channel and listened.

A cheery female voice was heard on the radio. "Hey, Buena here! I have today's password right here! It's...Pikachu! Don't forget it! I'm in the Goldenrod Radio Tower! And if you can't make it in person, give me a buzz on your Poké Gear."

"Quick, let's phone it in!" suggested Tristan.

"Right!" agreed Hillary. "I'll call and we'll do it together."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Buena's Password (as heard in Pokémon Crystal version)_

At the radio station, Buena heard her phone ring and answered it. "Hey, hey, Buena here!"

"Hi, Buena, it's Hillary!"

"And Tristan, too!"

"Well, now, a double feature!" said Buena excitedly. "I'm sure you remember today's password, right?"

"Pikachu!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"How about that! Not only did you guess right, but you have a Pikachu with you!" said Buena. "I'm so happy! You've each earned one point on your Blue Cards. Congrats! They'll be updated automatically."

Sure enough, the Blue Cards each had a tally of one point.

"Yup, our contestants were Tristan and Hillary, plus Pikachu, too," said Buena. "Thank you for calling...and listening. I hope all you listeners will do the same. I'll be waiting!" And she hung up on the phone.

_(music fade out)_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"What a day," said Tristan as he, Hillary, Evan, and Braden all prepared for bed. "We got new radio cards and got to be on the radio, too."

"And you got the Plain Badge, as well," added Braden.

Hillary nodded in agreement. "It's too bad that Grandma and Grandpa had to go back home to New Bark Town to take care of things after visiting Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart."

"Evan and I have to go back to Kanto sometime tomorrow, so why not plan?" suggested Braden.

"What plans do we need?" asked Evan.

"It all depends," replied Hillary. "Besides, Tristan and I still have to take care of our Pokémon eggs and continue our journey to the Johto League."

"Yeah, and I want to go to Ecruteak City so that I can earn my fourth Johto League badge. It'll be great to see Morty again.

"And we should make sure our Pokémon eggs stay safe until they hatch," finished Hillary.

"Hey, speaking of that, thanks again for letting Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa borrow your Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, Tristan," said Braden. "I have a feeling that those three will help lay their eggs in no time."

"I'm just glad I could help, Braden," replied Tristan.

"Well, goodnight, guys," said Evan.

"Goodnight," replied Tristan, Hillary, and Braden as they turned out the lights and fell fast asleep.

Even though it was quiet in the Pokémon Center, the city still teemed with life as lights still illuminated Goldenrod City.

* * *

_Our heroes are now getting ready for another night of rest. But when the next day comes, they'll be ready to take on new challenges and more surprises as they continue their journey to the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	41. THE BIKE SHOP PROBLEM

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 41 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This chapter is based off the experience with getting a bicycle on the Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games as well as hatching an egg on Crystal. Taz also makes an appearance in this chapter. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews when you feel like reading.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, Evan, and Braden are tasked to attract customers at Ryder's Bike Shop in Goldenrod City by riding bikes around. But Taz is out to ruin Ryder's business...and them!**

**Chapter 41: THE BIKE SHOP PROBLEM**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_Today, our heroes are about to leave Goldenrod City for their next destination, Ecruteak City, but before they do, they decide to hang out with their brothers Evan and Braden before they go back to Kanto to continue their own adventure._

"So you're saying you've met Morty before, right, Tristan?" asked Braden as he, Evan, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi explored Goldenrod City.

"That's right," answered Tristan. "After Hillary and I got back to Johto, Grandma and Grandpa took us to meet Morty in Ecruteak City before spending a few days on the beach."

"He told us about the legend of Ho-Oh," added Hillary, "and that it gave life to Raikou, Entei, and Suicune."

"That's incredible," said Evan. "Do you think we could meet them someday?"

"Who knows?" replied Hillary. "But one thing's for sure: there's always a lot to learn about Pokémon."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"Hey, look over there!" said Braden as he looked at a building full of bicycles.

"That looks like a bike shop!" said Tristan.

Presently, they heard a man sighing sadly.

"That sure doesn't sound like a happy sigh to me," said Hillary. "We'd better check it out." And she led the others in the direction of the man.

At the building, a man was hanging his head very low as Tristan, Hillary, Evan, and Braden approached.

"What's the matter?" asked Hillary.

"I just can't sell anything here," replied the man.

"Why not?" asked Tristan.

"That's why not," said the man. "Look."

Sure enough, no one was in sight.

"I used to run a bike shop in Cerulean City," explained the man. "I'm sure you've all been there."

Tristan and the others nodded.

"Ever since I moved here to Goldenrod City, I've been psyched to sell my bicycles by storm," continued the man. "But so far, I haven't even drizzled, as I've made no profits.

Tristan and the others felt sad.

"I'm afraid I'll just have to close up shop before it opens," said the man sadly.

"You can't do that!" protested Braden. "Think of all the business you'd lose if you did!"

"Braden's right," added Hillary. "Please don't give up so fast."

"Maybe we can ride some of your bicycles," suggested Tristan. "Would it be all right?"

"Tristan, that's a bad idea," whispered Evan. "We can't just go around riding someone else's bikes without..."

"All right?" interrupted the man. "That'd be great! Thanks so much!"

Evan was surprised. He wasn't expecting the man to think of this as a great idea.

"I'm Ryder the manager of the bike shop," said the man. "What are your names?"

"Hi, I'm Tristan," said Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Ryder warmly.

"Hi, I'm Hillary," added Hillary.

"I'm Braden," put in Braden.

"And my name's Evan," finished Evan.

"It's really nice to meet you all," smiled Ryder. "I'll tell you what. I'll get the four of you bikes and loan them to you so that you can help advertise and get people to visit my shop." And he went inside. A moment later, he got four bikes: green, blue, pink, and red.

All four of them had heavy-duty baskets with helmets.

Tristan chose the green bike, Hillary chose the pink bike, Evan chose the red bike, and Braden chose the blue bike.

_(Music Cue: Bicycle 1999-2001)_

"I'll just have you pedal all over Goldenrod City," said Ryder. "Hopefully, that will attract customers to my shop.

"Great! Come on, everybody, let's go!" said Tristan as he and his siblings put on their helmets and pedaled off.

"Good luck, kids!" called Ryder. "Be safe out there!"

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Evan, and Braden pedaled along the streets of Goldenrod City.

Tristan and Hillary, both carrying eggs in their bicycle baskets, made sure that they stayed safe.

The sky was clear, the breeze was warm, and the city was teeming with life.

"This sure is a great day to ride," remarked Hillary.

Togepi chirped in agreement.

"You said it, Hillary," replied Evan. "With any luck, we'll be able to get people to Ryder's shop."

"Let's hope so," said Braden. "Ryder's counting on us."

Tristan and Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"And we won't let him down," added Tristan. "Let's put the pedal to the metal."

"Good one, Tristan," chuckled Hillary.

_I can't wait to see what kind of Pokémon hatches from the eggs Hillary and I have, _thought Tristan. _Whatever they are, I just hope they're happy and healthy._

The four siblings continued pedaling along on their bikes.

Some kids watched them go by.

"Hey, look! I'd love to try riding one of those!" said one.

"Me, too!" said another.

"Why don't we see what Ryder has in his brand new bike shop?" suggested a third.

"I'll race you there!" said the fourth as he ran as fast as he could to Ryder's bike shop.

"Wait for us!" called the other three kids. "We'd need bicycles to catch up to you!" And they raced after him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, Braden, and Evan continued on their way.

One man was struggling to carry a big sack of newspapers as he saw them go by on their bikes. "Unh!" he grunted. "I'd sure love to ride one of those things. That'd make my paper route go a lot quicker, and I don't have to deal with an aching back every day."

A woman came out of the Goldenrod Galleria and went to him. "I heard there's a bike shop in Goldenrod City. Ryder's a great bicycle specialist."

"Well, I'm there!" said the man as he struggled to carry his newspapers.

* * *

"Hey, do you think we can pedal straight to Ecruteak City, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I don't think so, sis," answered Tristan. "Remember, these bikes are rentals, and besides, Evan and Braden need to get back to Kanto."

"Aw, don't worry, Tristan," Braden assured him. "We've got some time to kill. We've been wanting to see some more of Goldenrod City, anyway."

"That's right," agreed Evan. "Think of it as an adventure, really."

"I guess you're right," said Tristan.

Presently, Hillary's yellow egg flashed.

Hillary gasped in shock.

"What's up Hillary?" asked Braden.

"I thought I saw my egg light up for a second," replied Hillary.

"That means it's almost ready to hatch," said Tristan. "Let's keep going, and when the egg's almost ready to hatch, we'll stop and see it."

"Good idea, Tristan, let's go," agreed Hillary.

And they started pedaling again.

A short distance away, a familiar-looking man with a beard watched as Tristan and the others pedaled along on their bikes. It was Taz. "Aw, what a great day for kids to ride. Too bad they won't enjoy it for long, though." And he crept out of sight.

* * *

In another part of the city, Tristan and his siblings were still pedaling along when suddenly, behind them, they heard...

"Hey, my wheel's stuck!"

"Did you hear that, guys?" asked Tristan.

"I sure did," replied Hillary.

"Come on, we'd better check it out," suggested Braden.

And they all turned around and pedaled toward another cyclist. It was a kid, who was the same age as Tristan.

"What happened?" asked Evan.

"This piece of sticky string stuck to my wheels, and now I can't turn them!" replied the cyclist. "What's worse is that I fell off of my brand new bike!"

Braden carefully felt the string, which was very, very sticky. "This is definitely from a Pokémon's String Shot?"

"How come, Braden?" asked Tristan.

"Only Pokémon can produce natural sticky string like this," answered Braden.

The cyclist grew very angry. "I think Ryder put this string on my wheels on purpose!"

Tristan and the others gasped in shock.

"That can't be true, can it?" asked Hillary.

"I'm gonna demand a refund!" fumed the cyclist, and he picked up his bike and carried it away.

"This is not good at all," said Evan. "If those people get caught up in that stringy mess and demand refunds, Ryder's gonna run out of business."

"And he'll have to close the shop down for good!" added Braden.

"We can't let it happen," said Tristan. "We've gotta get to the bottom of this, and fast."

And they started pedaling off in a hurry.

Presently, Hillary's egg flashed more and more frequently.

"The egg!" gasped Hillary. "It's lighting up again!"

"Looks like it wants to hatch," replied Tristan. "We'd better find the culprit soon, and hope that the egg stays safe until it does."

"And we don't have much time," added Braden.

Suddenly, Evan felt his wheels lock up. Almost immediately afterward, his bicycle tipped over, causing him to fall to the ground.

Tristan and the others quickly rushed to him. "Evan, are you okay?"

"I think so," Evan answered. But as he started to get up, he felt pain in his knee and sat back down.

"What's wrong?" asked Hillary.

Braden checked Evan over. "It looked like he scraped his knee."

Wasting no time, Tristan dug out his first aid kit from his backpack, cleaned up Evan's scrape, and put a bandage on it.

"Thanks, Tristan," said Evan. "I feel a lot better now."

"Good thing you come prepared, Tristan," commended Braden. "But what happened?"

Tristan looked over Evan's bike wheel. Sure enough, it was covered in string just like the other cyclists' wheels. "Yup, that's String Shot all right," he said. "Someone's definitely doing this."

"You don't think this was intentional, do you?" asked Hillary.

"I have a feeling that it is," replied Braden.

"You guys might as well ride on without me," said Evan. "The way I see it, I'm stuck."

"Nonsense," said Hillary. "We have something that'll free that wheel right up. Ready, Tristan?"

"Ready!" replied Tristan as he took out his Fast Ball and Hillary took out her Poké Ball.

Both threw their balls at the same instant.

Tristan and Hillary's Cyndaquil awaited their Trainers' instructions.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan and Hillary together.

Both Cyndaquil shot powerful streams of fire from their mouths and melted the sticky String Shot away.

Evan was impressed. "Thanks, guys. My wheel's free now. Now I can continue along with you guys."

"There's no time to celebrate now," reminded Tristan. "We have to find out who's doing this before it's too late."

"Hey, look there, guys!" said Braden as he pointed to something.

Sure enough, there were sticky spots all over the street.

"It's a String Shot trail!" said Hillary.

"If we follow this trail, it'll lead us to whoever is doing it!" added Braden.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" said Tristan excitedly as he and his siblings, along with Pikachu and Togepi, pedaled toward the source of the string, making sure that they didn't roll over any of it.

* * *

Meanwhile, Taz watched his Ariados use String Shot on the streets of Goldenrod City, and as it did, more and more cyclists had their wheels lock up as they got stuck in place.

"Nice work, Ariados," smiled Taz. "Now the bike shop will run out of business."

"Okay, hold it!"

Taz turned to see that voice belonged to Tristan as he and his siblings approached. "Oh, rats! Those kids again!"

"It's Taz!" said Hillary disdainfully. "And he's got his Ariados with him!"

"We should've know it was you!" added Tristan.

"Who's Taz?" asked Braden.

"He's a poacher who steals Pokémon and does other bad things," explained Tristan.

"So he's the one who made me fall off my bike and caused the cyclists' wheels to get stuck," put in Evan.

"Do you realize that Evan could've had a serious accident because of you?!" fumed Hillary.

"Ha!" laughed Taz. "I don't care. Besides, I'm gonna rake in the money from the bike shop's lost sales."

That made Evan very angry. "All right, that does it!"

"Quick, Evan, Hillary, use your Cyndaquil!" said Tristan. "Fire attacks are strong against Bug-types like Ariados!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Tunnel Vision"))_

"Okay!" agreed Evan and Hillary as they each took out their Poké Balls and threw them.

Tristan took out his Fast Ball and threw it as well. "Go!" he shouted.

All three Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of it.

"So you wanna battle, huh?" said Taz. "Go, Ariados!"

Ariados charged towards Evan's Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, use Ember!" commanded Evan.

Evan's Cyndaquil shot powerful balls of fire from its mouth as the flame on its back kicked up.

"Ariados, pin it in place with your String Shot attack!" instructed Taz.

Ariados shot sticky string from its mouth at Cyndaquil; it not only stopped Ember, but it also caused it it to get stuck.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Evan.

"Poison Sting attack!" ordered Taz.

Ariados shot poisonous needles from its mouth, scoring a clean hit on Cyndaquil.

"Evan's Cyndaquil's in big trouble!" exclaimed Braden. "There's no way it can defend itself from Ariados' attacks, let alone dodge them!"

"Then allow my Cyndaquil to help!" said Hillary. "Cyndaquil, use your Flame Wheel attack on Ariados!"

Hillary's Cyndaquil rolled into a ball and spun as flames surrounded it.

"Dodge it, Ariados!" commanded Taz.

Ariados nimbly jumped out of the way of Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel.

"Ariados, Spider Web!" ordered Taz.

Ariados shot strings from its mouth and combined them to make a web much stickier than its String Shot attacks.

"Cyndaquil, watch out!" shouted Hillary.

Unfortunately, Hillary's Cyndaquil was rolling so fast that it couldn't switch direction, so it found itself stuck to Ariados' Spider Web attack.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"Looks like Cyndaquil has become Ariados' number one prey!" smirked Taz.

Sure enough, both Cyndaquil were hopelessly tied up.

"Looks like it's up to you, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" shouted Tristan.

Tristan's Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Ariados.

"Ariados, your best String Shot!" ordered Taz.

Taz shot sticky string from its mouth in an attempt to block Tristan's Cyndaquil's Flamethrower from reaching it.

"Come on, Ariados, show that runt who's in charge!" commanded Taz.

Ariados pushed Tristan's Cyndaquil's flames back further.

"Cyndaquil, just a little bit more, let's go!" shouted Tristan.

Tristan's Cyndaquil increased the power of its Flamethrower to try and push Ariados' String Shot back.

"I've had enough of this stalemate!" fumed Taz. "Ariados, use your Night Shade!"

Ariados' eyes glowed in a crimson aura, then it shot a dark crimson beam of energy, scoring a direct hit on Tristan's Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Tristan.

Tristan's Cyndaquil landed on the ground right in front of him with a hard thud.

"Cyndaquil, are you okay?" asked Tristan as he quickly rushed to it.

"This is bad," said Braden. "Even with a type advantage, three Cyndaquil couldn't defeat one Ariados."

"And now, I have the distinct honor of tying all four of you up," smirked Taz as he and Ariados got closer to them. "All right, Ariados, let's wrap this up nice and quick."

Tristan's Cyndaquil desperately struggled to get back on its feet as Ariados began to unleash its String Shot attack.

"Cyndaquil," whispered Tristan. He couldn't believe that his Cyndaquil still wanted to battle after taking damage from Night Shade and tiring itself out, trying to defeat Ariados.

Evan and Hillary struggled in vain to free their Cyndaquil from their own sticky situations.

But as Ariados' String Shot moved closer, Tristan's Cyndaquil got back on its feet and jumped in the way to save Tristan and his siblings.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Tristan.

"Guess that's it," smirked Taz.

But suddenly, Tristan's Cyndaquil was bathed in a bright white light.

_(Music Cue: Gym (version 2) 1997-1998 (as heard in "Why? Wynaut!"))_

Everyone was surprised, especially Tristan.

"What's going on?!" gasped Taz in complete shock.

As the light intensified, Tristan's Cyndaquil was freed from Ariados' String Shot, and it grew from two feet long to three feet long. It then sprouted triangular ears.

When the light dissipated, the newly evolved Pokémon opened its eyes and ignited the flames on its back as well as its forehead.

"Tristan, your Cyndaquil has evolved into a Quilava!" said Braden excitedly.

"Let's check it out," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex

_"Quilava, the Volcano Pokémon. Quilava is the evolved form of Cyndaquil and capable of incredible attacks using the flames on its back and forehead."_

"That's awesome!" said Tristan. "All right, Quilava, let's show Taz and Ariados what we're made of."

"You'll do no such thing!" replied Taz. "All right, Ariados, tie it up with Spider Web now!"

Ariados shot multiple pieces of sticky string from its mouth at Quilava.

But Quilava's flames were so strong and so hot that it melted the sticky string on Evan's and Hillary's Cyndaquil, thus freeing them from their confinements.

"All right!" said Evan. "Let's help Tristan and Quilava out."

"Right, Evan," agreed Hillary. "Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

"Cyndaquil, Ember attack!" ordered Evan.

Evan's Cyndaquil's Ember and Hillary's Cyndaquil's Flamethrower combined into one hot attack, stopping Ariados' Spider Web attack in its tracks.

"Okay, Quilava, it's our turn now," said Tristan. "Use your Flamethrower at full power now!"

Quilava shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth, much stronger than it was when it was a Cyndaquil, and scored a huge direct hit on Ariados, sending it flying into Taz, causing them both to get burned. But it wasn't finished yet, for its Flamethrower attack was so strong that it caused an explosion that sent Taz and Ariados skyward.

"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE, KIIIIIIIIIIIID!" screamed Taz as he and Ariados disappeared in the sky.

_DING!_

"That was great, Quilava," commended Tristan as he attempted to stroke its forehead. However, Quilava's flames were still ignited, so when he touched them, Tristan danced wildly as he yelled out in pain. "HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT!"

Quilava noticed Tristan dancing and yelling out and put out its flames.

Tristan then gave a good chuckle. "You're really something." And he stroked Quilava.

"And so are you, Tristan," added Braden. "You and that Quilava are a force to be reckoned with. Keep that up and you'll be a great contender in the Johto League."

"I will," replied Tristan. "Now, let's get those cyclists back on track."

* * *

Meanwhile at the bike shop, a mob of angry cyclists were demanding refunds because of their wheels getting strung up.

"Okay, everyone, calm down," said Ryder.

"Calm down?!" exclaimed one cyclist. "How can I calm down with my bike looking like this?!"

"Hold on!" shouted Tristan as he and his siblings arrived on the scene.

Ryder was relieved to see them.

"All right, guys, let's help these people out," said Tristan.

Braden, Evan, and Hillary agreed as Evan and Hillary's Cyndaquil and Tristan's Quilava all burned the sticky string that tied the cyclists' wheels.

In no time at all, all the string had melted away, and the cyclists could pedal their bikes again.

"Thank you so much," said the cyclists. And they all pedaled away with no problem.

"How can I thank you all for helping me out today?" said Ryder. "As thanks, you can keep the bicycles free of charge."

"You mean that?" asked Tristan.

"That's what he said," said Hillary.

But just as they were saying their thank-yous, they noticed a group of four kids.

"Our old bikes got trashed," said one. "The paint's rusted on mine."

"And my wheels popped," said another.

"My chains snapped," put in a third.

"Mine fell apart," finished a fourth.

Tristan and his siblings put their heads together. Then they said, "Why don't you have ours?"

The kids were surprised. Even Ryder.

"We get our exercise by walking, anyway," added Tristan.

"Thank you so much!" said the kids as they got on the four bikes and pedaled away.

_(Music Cue: Route 26)_

"Well, thanks to you, four kids have brand new bikes," smiled Ryder. "And my new shop is now in business."

"We're just glad we could help, Ryder," replied Braden.

Presently, Hillary's egg began to light up, but this time, the light was a steady glow. "The egg...it's glowing again!"

Doesn't that mean...?" asked Evan.

"Yes, it's time," answered Braden.

Hillary carefully removed the protective glass from the case.

Seconds later, the egg began to hatch and out came a Pokémon with pale, yellow fur, black angular ears, collar, and tail, and pink sacs on its cheeks.

"Aw, it's so cute!" said Tristan.

"Hillary, see what your Pokédex says," suggested Tristan.

And she did.

_"Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. The pre-evolved form of Pikachu. Despite their size, Pichu release bursts of electricity that can shock even humans. However, Pichu are unskilled at controlling their electricity, and sometimes release it by accident when surprised, or when laughing, and shock themselves."_

"So, it's a Pichu!" said Hillary as she gently held it. "Pichu, it's nice to meet you. My name is Hill..."

_(music stop)_

But the rest of Hillary's introduction was interrupted when Pichu unleashed electricity from its cheeks on her, causing her to scream out.

"Oh, that smarts," she said.

It sure did, for both her and Pichu, for Pichu had a dazed expression on its face thanks to its own electricity, and Hillary's hair was all over the place, showing signs of static electricity.

Everyone gave a good laugh for that little mishap.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

"Thanks for walking us to the train station, guys," said Braden as he and Evan prepared to say goodbye to Tristan and Hillary.

"We hope that you had a good time with us," added Evan.

"We sure did," replied Tristan. "I know that you'll do well in Kanto, and I'm sure that Evan will get stronger as a Trainer, too."

"I have to admit that Quilava of yours was pretty impressive today," remarked Braden. "Keep up the training and soon, you'll be well on your way to victory in the Johto League."

"I will," said Tristan.

"And Hillary," added Braden, "try not to let that Pichu mess up your hair too much."

Tristan, Braden, Evan, and Pikachu snickered at that remark.

"Do you mind?!" exclaimed Hillary.

Evan cleared his throat and said, "I hope your egg hatches safely, Tristan."

"Thanks, Evan," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

A few moments later, Evan and Braden got on the Magnet Train.

The doors closed, and soon, the Magnet Train departed from the station as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi waved goodbye to them.

* * *

_After a long day of riding bicycles, Hillary's egg hatches into a shockingly powerful Pichu, and Tristan's Cyndaquil evolves into a very hot Quilava. Now it's on to Ecruteak City for Tristan's fourth Gym battle, but before that is the Water Pokémon Tournament. I have a feeling that this tournament and the remainder of their adventure will be a splash!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	42. GETTIN' BUGGY WITH IT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 42 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Jimmy from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. As you know, he is based off the male counterpart of the main player in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games, and he appears in the three-part saga: The Legend of Thunder in the Pokémon Chronicles series. We've seen his Beedrill, but what happens when he catches it as a Weedle? I'm basing the Bug Catching Contest from the Bug Catching Contests in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games, too. Taz also makes an appearance in this chapter. Be sure to follow this story for more chapters, and leave responsible reviews.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet a Trainer named Jimmy, and they all participate in the Bug Catching Contest. But Taz wants to eliminate the competition using his Ariados. Will they be able to avoid him before they get tied up?**

**Chapter 42: GETTIN' BUGGY WITH IT**

_(Music Cue: Bug Catching Contest)_

_The Bug Catching Contest: A contest that will determine which Trainer catches the best Bug Pokémon they can find. And today, our heroes have stopped at a National Park to participate in that very contest._

"Whoa, can you believe this crowd?" said Tristan as he and Pikachu looked around.

"I know," agreed Hillary. "I guess everyone must be here to compete."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Sure enough, there was a long line of people waiting outside to register for the contest.

"They must all want to win, too," said Tristan. "We'll just do our best and have fun. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

Presently, a Trainer wearing yellow shorts, a red jumper, and a yellow and black cap approached them. He wore the cap backwards. "Hi, I'm Jimmy. You two must be planning to enter the Bug Catching Contest, right?"

"That's right," answered Hillary. "I'm Hillary, and this is my Togepi."

Togepi greeted Jimmy warmly.

"Hi, Jimmy, I'm Tristan," said Tristan. "And this is Pikachu."

Pikachu also said hello to Jimmy.

"It's nice to meet you," said Jimmy. "So, where are you two from?"

"From New Bark Town," answered Tristan.

"Wow, that's the same town I come from!" said Jimmy excitedly. "All right, I've decided that you two are my rivals. I could tell that you two are good Trainers."

Tristan and Hillary were confused, but gave a nod.

"Well, Jimmy, I'm looking forward to a good contest," said Tristan.

"And so am I," added Hillary.

"That's the spirit!" said Jimmy.

And all three gave a good handshake.

Presently, an announcer came to the microphone and began to speak. "Attention, please. Welcome to the Bug Catching Contest. The rule is very simple. You may enter one Pokémon to battle with you. The rest will be kept with one of our employees that you see here."

"That means we can't have more than one Pokémon with us," said Hillary.

"Yeah, but who should I choose?" asked Tristan.

"I'd say that you have a pretty good candidate right on your shoulder," answered Hillary.

Sure enough, Pikachu was on Tristan's shoulder, and was ready for the challenge.

"Yeah, I'll go with Pikachu," said Tristan.

"And I'll use my Cyndaquil," added Hillary.

"And I'm gonna use my all-powerful Typhlosion," said Jimmy.

"Typhlosion?" Tristan and Hillary had never heard of that Pokémon before.

The announcer continued. "Whichever Trainer catches the strongest Bug Pokémon and earns the most points will be the winner. The winner will receive a Fire Stone as today's grand prize. Furthermore, you can keep the last Bug Pokémon that you catch."

Tristan was first to register with Pikachu, followed by Hillary and Cyndaquil. Finally, Jimmy registered with his Typhlosion.

The rest of their Pokémon and Togepi were left with the contest employee.

Meanwhile, a short distance away, a familiar bearded man was planning on messing things up as usual. Yes, it was Taz, the villain Tristan and Hillary had run into many times before. "Now we'll see who bugs out. Heh heh."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 38 (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

Tristan, Hillary, Jimmy, and the contestants all got ready to start as the announcer continued.

"Each of you will have a special Poké Ball called a Park Ball to use to catch a Bug Pokémon."

All the Trainers received Park Balls, which looked like turquoise green Poké Balls with even greener fly-like wings.

"You all have 20 minutes to find and catch the strongest Pokémon you can find. All right, Trainers! Ready...set...go!"

An air horn sounded and all the Trainers split up to begin their search.

Tristan and Pikachu searched on the western edge of the park in the tall grass.

"Keep your eyes and ears open, Pikachu," advised Tristan. "You never know when a Bug Pokémon will show up."

Pikachu nodded as it walked beside him.

In the eastern edge of the park, Hillary and her Cyndaquil looked all over the forest area.

"See anything, Cyndaquil?" asked Hillary.

Cyndaquil shook its head.

"Well, that's all right," said Hillary. "We'll find something even if we settle for a little Caterpie."

On the northern edge of the park, Jimmy and his Typhlosion looked high and low.

"There's gotta be a Bug Pokémon around here somewhere," said Jimmy.

Typhlosion nodded in agreement as it walked slowly on all fours beside Jimmy.

"Whatever Pokémon we find is bound to be a winner in our book," added Jimmy.

Presently, Jimmy and Typhlosion heard grunting and straining a short distance away.

"What's that?" asked Jimmy. "Come on, Typhlosion, we'd better check it out."

And Jimmy raced off with Typhlosion hot on his heels.

Sure enough, there were three Trainers who were all tied up by a sticky white string with their Pokémon in front of a nearby tree.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" asked Jimmy as he and Typhlosion approached.

"Get us outta this!" grunted one Trainer.

"All right, Typhlosion, we've gotta get 'em out, so use Flamethrower to burn the string!" commanded Jimmy.

Typhlosion shot a hot stream of fire from its mouth at the string, being careful enough to avoid burning the Trainers.

"Thanks so much!" said the second Trainer as he and the other two Trainers stretched their arms and legs, relieved to be freed.

"How did this happen?" asked Jimmy.

"Some guy with a red beard used an Ariados and tied us up with its String Shot attack!" answered the third Trainer. "Be on the lookout for him!"

And the three Trainers ran off in a hurry.

"I'd better spread the word!" said Jimmy. And he quickly took out his Poké Gear.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu were still searching for a Bug Pokémon when his Poké Gear rang suddenly.

Tristan quickly took it out of his backpack and answered it. "This is Tristan."

"Tristan, this is Jimmy."

"What's going on, Jimmy?"

"We just ran into three Trainers who were tied up by an Ariados," answered Jimmy. "They said that it belonged to a bearded man, but they can't confirm who it is. They've never seen him before."

_Hmmm, _thought Tristan. _It sounds like whoever this bearded man is wants to eliminate the competition._

"Typhlosion and I set them free just a few moments ago," continued Jimmy, "but it's very important that you check your surroundings immediately and at all times. Do you see anyone suspicious, including that Ariados?"

Tristan and Pikachu quickly checked their surroundings, but didn't see any sign of a bearded man or an Ariados nearby.

"No, Jimmy, Pikachu and I don't see anything," answered Tristan, "but we'll be extra careful."

"Good," replied Jimmy. "Send my message to Hillary, too."

"Will do, Jimmy," said Tristan. And he hung up. _Let's just hope Hillary and Cyndaquil are safe, wherever they are. _And he called Hillary on his PokéGear.

* * *

A few minutes later, Hillary had gotten Jimmy's message from Tristan. "Okay, Tristan, thanks for the update. We'll keep an eye out." And she hung up. "Wow, Cyndaquil, our day's been pretty active so far."

Cyndaquil was nodding in agreement when suddenly...

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "A Ghost of a Chance"))_

...they saw a Flamethrower attack shoot high into the air.

"Whoa, that's a Flamethrower!" gasped Hillary. "It must be that Ariados! Come on, Cyndaquil, let's hurry!" And she and Cyndaquil ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

* * *

But what had been happening was that Jimmy and his Typhlosion had found a very strong Weedle, and their battle against it had just begun.

Weedle was just beginning to use its poisonous stinger on its head.

"It's using Poison Sting!" said Jimmy. "Dodge it, Typhlosion!"

Typhlosion nimbly got out of the way of Weedle's attack.

Next, Weedle shot a sticky string at Typhlosion.

"That's s String Shot," said Jimmy. "We can handle that. All right, Typhlosion, use another Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion fired a hot stream of fire from its mouth, not only scorching Weedle's String Shot, but also scoring a direct hit on Weedle in the process.

"Yeah!" smiled Jimmy. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Typhlosion agreed as Weedle fell to the ground.

"Now's my chance! Go, Park Ball!" shouted Jimmy as he threw it.

The ball hit Weedle, which transformed into red energy and shot inside. The Park Ball then wiggled as the red button flashed. Seconds later, it stopped, signifying that the Weedle had been caught.

"All right!" Jimmy said excitedly. "You rock and you rule!"

Typhlosion nodded in agreement.

"Jimmy!"

Jimmy and Typhlosion turned to see Hillary and Cyndaquil quickly approaching them.

"Are you okay?" asked Hillary.

"Hey, Hillary," said Jimmy. "Typhlosion and I just caught a strong Weedle."

"Oh, for a minute there, I thought that you had run into that Ariados," said Hillary.

"Nope," replied Jimmy. "But we're still keeping an eye out for him. So I take it Tristan told you about that?"

Hillary nodded. "We're watching out for that Ariados and that guy, too."

Presently, they heard more grunting and straining in the distance.

"What was that?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, come on, not again!" complained Jimmy. "Come on, Typhlosion!" And he and Typhlosion ran off.

"Jimmy, wait!" called Hillary.

But it was too late, for Jimmy and Typhlosion had already disappeared from sight.

Hillary sighed. "That guy sometimes reminds me of my own brother."

Cyndaquil nodded in agreement.

But just then, the bushes rustled.

Hillary and Cyndaquil went for a closer look. But as she did, a giant green mantis-like Pokémon with scythes flew out of the bushes straight toward them!

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Aaah!" exclaimed Hillary. "It's a Scyther! Run for it!"

And together, Hillary and Cyndaquil beat a hasty retreat.

But no matter how fast they ran, they were still directly in Scyther's path.

"What am I doing?" asked Hillary to herself. "I shouldn't be running away from Scyther, I should be battling it! This is the Bug Catching Contest, after all." And she quickly turned around and faced Scyther. "Okay, Scyther, get ready to be caught! Ready, Cyndaquil?"

Cyndaquil turned around and nodded. It then charged toward Scyther as it prepared to battle.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a powerful blast of fire from its mouth at Scyther.

But Scyther quickly flew from side to side to dodge it and prepared to strike back using its scythes.

"That Scyther's fast!" gasped Hillary.

Sure enough, it was fast, and it kept dodging Cyndaquil's Flamethrower.

"Cyndaquil, go slow!" encouraged Hillary. "First take aim, then use another Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil stopped and allowed Scyther to get closer and closer. Then, when it was within striking distance, it shot another powerful blast of fire from its mouth directly at it, scoring a direct hit on it and weakening it.

"Nice job, Cyndaquil," said Hillary as she took her Park Ball out and threw it. "Go, Park Ball!"

The Park Ball hit Scyther, causing it to turn into red energy and shoot inside. The Park Ball wiggled as the red button flashed. Seconds later, it stopped, signifying that Scyther had been caught.

"All right!" said Hillary as she and Cyndaquil cheered. "We caught Scyther!"

But just as Hillary picked up her Park Ball, a String Shot attack came from the bushes and tied both her and Cyndaquil, causing them to hit the ground.

"Hey!" grunted Hillary. "What's going on here?"

"Heh heh heh," chuckled a bearded man as he and an Ariados stepped out of the bushes.

"Taz!" said Hillary disdainfully. "What do you want?"

"All I'm doing is eliminating the competition," replied Taz innocently.

"Let us go right now!" demanded Hillary.

Taz gave a smirk. "I'd love to stay and chat, but obviously, you're a little tied up at the moment." And he laughed as he and Ariados walked off.

Hillary seethed in anger. "I've about had it with this guy," she fumed.

"Hey, Hillary! Are you okay?"

Hillary was relieved to see Jimmy and Typhlosion coming her way. "Jimmy! Typhlosion!"

All right, Typhlosion, get Hillary and Cyndaquil out of there!" instructed Jimmy.

Typhlosion burned through the string using its Flamethrower.

In no time, Hillary and Cyndaquil were free.

"So how'd you get tied up?" asked Jimmy.

"Taz did this," answered Hillary. "His Ariados was the one who tied me up."

"Who's Taz?" asked Jimmy.

"He's the one who poaches Pokémon and is always up to no good," replied Hillary.

"We have to warn Tristan," said Jimmy. "Taz and Ariados may be heading his way."

"Let's hurry!" agreed Hillary as she and Jimmy raced to warn Tristan and Pikachu.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu were getting ready to search another area of the park after an exhaustive search on the western side.

"Well, no Bug Pokémon here," said Tristan. "Come on, let's try going deeper into the woods."

Just then, Pikachu pricked its ears up.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

A blue bipedal beetle-like Pokémon flew into view and landed on the trunk of a nearby tree. It had a long, pronged horn on its head. A single pair of wings was covered by its carapace.

"Wow, it's a Heracross!" said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Heracross, the Single Horn Pokémon. Though gentle and docile, Heracross possesses great strength and power. Its favorite food is the fresh sap from leafy trees."_

Sure enough, Heracross was sucking the sap from the nearby tree. It was clearly enjoying its meal.

But Tristan knew that he and Pikachu were running out of time. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack on the other side of that tree!"

Pikachu nimbly ran to the other side of the tree as a white line streaked behind it. It bashed into the tree, causing Heracross to topple over.

"Yeah, great, Pikachu!" commended Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

But just then, Heracross got angry. Apparently, it didn't like being disturbed in the middle of its meal. So it spread its wings and charged toward Pikachu as it prepared to attack.

"Dodge it, Pikachu, now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu easily evaded Heracross as it got within striking distance. But Heracross quickly turned around and charged in for the attack again.

"Quick, Pikachu, jump onto Heracross!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu jumped into the air and landed neatly on Heracross' back. It held on tight as Heracross tried to shake it off.

"Now's our chance, Pikachu!" said Tristan. "Thunderbolt now!"

Pikachu nodded and unleashed a close-range Thunderbolt on Heracross, scoring a direct hit on it and causing it to drop like a fly to the ground.

Heracross was now down for the count.

"Nice job, Pikachu. Park Ball, go!" shouted Tristan as he got out his Park Ball and threw it at Heracross.

Heracross was hit by the Park Ball, and it transformed into red energy and shot inside.

The Park Ball wiggled as the button flashed. Tense seconds went by, but soon, the wiggling and the flashing stopped.

"Yeah!" said Tristan. "We caught a Heracross!"

Pikachu leaped into Tristan's arms and celebrated their catch.

Not too far away, an Ariados quietly crawled out of the bushes and prepared to attack. Sure enough, it was Taz's Ariados.

"It won't be long now," smirked Taz. "All right, Ariados, go get 'em!"

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Bug Stops Here"))_

Ariados leaped into the air and prepared to use its String Shot attack to tie up Tristan and Pikachu.

However, Pikachu pricked its ears up and alerted Tristan to the danger. It then leaped out of Tristan's arms and launched a Thunderbolt at it.

Ariados got zapped before it had time to react or launch an attack.

"Ariados!" cried Taz as he ran to it.

Tristan recognized who it was immediately. "So you're the one who tied up those three Trainers all along, aren't you?"

"Yeah, so what?" replied Taz. "I'm getting rid of anyone who gets in my way so I can win the Bug Catching Contest! Go get 'em, Ariados!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Hi Ho Silver...Away!"))_

Ariados charged forward and prepared to attack.

"We won't let you bully us into surrender, Taz!" said Tristan. "All right, Pikachu, give it your Quick Attack now!"

Pikachu sped forward with a white line trailing behind it and scored a direct hit on Ariados, causing it to fall on Taz.

"You crazy Pokémon!" scolded Taz. "Get off me and use your Night Shade attack!"

Ariados crawled off of Taz and launched crimson beams from its eyes at Pikachu.

"Dodge and use your Quick Attack again, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu easily dodged Ariados' Night Shade and rammed into Ariados, sending it flying into Taz.

"Okay, Pikachu, Thunder attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped into the air and launched a powerful bolt of electricity from its body, scoring a huge direct hit on Taz and Ariados, causing an explosion that sent them blasting off again.

_DING!_

"Nice work, Pikachu," commended Tristan as Pikachu landed neatly on its feet in front of him.

Pikachu gave a happy reply.

Presently, Hillary and Jimmy arrived on the scene. "Tristan! Are you okay?"

"We're fine," answered Tristan. "Pikachu and I just dealt with Taz and Ariados. They won't be a problem anymore."

"That's a relief," said Tristan.

Presently the air horn sounded and the announcer's voice came on the loudspeaker. "Attention please. The Bug Catching Contest is now over. Please report back to the center of the park and we will judge the Bug Pokémon that you caught."

"We'd better hurry back, guys!" gasped Jimmy. "Judging's gonna start any minute!"

And they all raced away to their destination as fast as they could.

* * *

Soon, every contestant came to the stage as the audience watched.

The announcer came to the stage and had the judge look at every Bug Pokémon the Trainers. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen, the judges have chosen our winners!"

Tristan, Hillary, and Jimmy watched anxiously with the other Trainers as the results came in.

"Coming in third place is...Jimmy from New Bark Town, who caught a very strong Weedle!" said the announcer.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered! (sample 2)_

Jimmy gasped in shock as the audience applauded him.

The announcer then opened the Poké Ball and Jimmy's Weedle came out of it.

"Wow!" said Jimmy. "I knew the Weedle I caught was strong, but I never knew it would earn me third place."

"That's still pretty good, Jimmy," said Tristan.

Hillary nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," chuckled Jimmy.

The announcer returned Weedle back to its Poké Ball and prepared to announce the second-place finisher. "That Weedle scored Jimmy 420 points. Coming in second place is...a Trainer named Hillary, who also comes from New Bark Town, and she caught a powerful Scyther!"

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered! (sample 1)_

The audience applauded as the announcer opened up the second Poké Ball.

Sure enough, the Scyther that Hillary had caught stood proudly with its scythes raised high to show its power.

"Your Scyther looked pretty strong, Hillary," said Jimmy.

"Your Weedle did, too," replied Hillary.

This time, it was Tristan's turn to nod in agreement.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered! (as heard in "Hot Matches!"))_

The announcer returned Scyther back to its Poké Ball. Then he prepared to deliver his big announcement. "That score earned her 425 points. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this is it...the moment you've all been waiting for! It's time to announce our big winner who came in first place! And the winner of the Bug Catching Contest who earned 430 points is..."

There was a long silence as he took the third Poké Ball and opened it.

Out came...Heracross, the Bug Pokémon that Tristan had caught.

"...Tristan, who is also from New Bark Town, with the big Bug Pokémon winner, Heracross!"

Everyone in the audience cheered and applauded for Tristan, who was bewildered at what had just happened. He wasn't expecting Heracross to be the big winner, but he soon gave a big smile.

"Wow, Tristan," said Jimmy. "Where did you find such a powerful Heracross?"

"I just found it by chance," replied Tristan. "It was sucking sap off of a tree. I figured if it was sucking that much sap, it must be strong."

The announcer returned Heracross to its Poké Ball and came to Tristan as he continued. "And as Tristan's reward, he gets the grand prize: a Fire Stone. And he gets to keep his Heracross. And every one of you can keep the Bug Pokémon that you caught." He then handed Heracross' Poké Ball and the Fire Stone to Tristan. "Congratulations, young man."

"Thank you very much, sir," said Tristan politely. He then raised his items in the air as Hillary and Jimmy looked on proudly.

* * *

Later, after Tristan and Hillary got their other Pokémon back, Hillary noticed that Scyther's Poké Ball had shrunk, and she couldn't get it to grow. "What's going on? Why can't I get this Poké Ball to work?"

"You already have six Pokémon, sis," replied Tristan. "You'll have to send one of your Pokémon to Professor Oak's lab first."

"Oh, yeah, that's right," said Hillary. "I think I'll send my Scyther there for now, just to give Professor Oak a little extra help."

"That's a good plan," smiled Jimmy. "So where are you guys off to next?"

"We're going to Ecruteak City so that I can earn my fourth Johto League badge," answered Tristan.

"Well, I wish you and Hillary nothing but the best on the rest of your journey," said Jimmy. "Just remember...you rock and you rule!"

"Yeah!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi smiled in agreement.

Tristan and Hillary continued to the east as they waved goodbye to Jimmy.

Jimmy continued south as he waved to them.

* * *

_And so, Tristan catches a Heracross, Hillary catches a Scyther, and they both made a new friend in Jimmy. How will the rest of their journey pan out as Tristan strives to earn his fourth Johto League badge? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	43. THE SUDOWOODO PROBLEM

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 43 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Johto. Tuscany from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games makes an appearance in this chapter, and so does the Sudowoodo from the games. I hope you enjoy this. It's a shorter chapter, but there have been longer ones.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet Tuscany of Tuesday, one of the Week Siblings, after seeing a Sudowoodo block their way. How will our heroes handle Sudowoodo when it has a few tricks up its sleeve?**

**Chapter 43: THE SUDOWOODO PROBLEM**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_Our heroes are continuing their journey to Ecruteak City, where Tristan hopes to earn his fourth Johto League badge. But today, they're about to encounter an obstacle that looks like a...big tree?_

Tristan and Hillary, along with Pikachu and Togepi, were walking through the woods on a beautiful day. Tristan was excited about his upcoming Gym Battle in Ecruteak City while Hillary was excited for the upcoming Water Pokémon tournament taking place not too far from where they were right now. But just then, they saw a strange-looking tree blocking the roadway. It had yellow spots on it and a fork-like branch on top.

"That sure is a strange place for a tree," said Tristan.

"Really strange," agreed Hillary. "Let's try and go around it."

_(Music Cue: Today's Johto Pokémon Curiosity (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

They tried going around the tree, but it just stretched to the right, preventing them from getting around it.

"Hey, what's that tree doing?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know, but let's try going around on the other side," replied Hillary.

And so they did, but the tree just stretched to the other side. No matter which way they tried to go, the tree kept blocking them. It was then that they noticed a mouth and a pair of eyes on the tree.

"Hey, that's no tree!" said Hillary suspiciously.

The tree danced and gave a good laugh.

"You're right, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "No tree would laugh and dance like that one."

"Do you think it's a Pokémon, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Let's find out." And he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Sudowoodo, the Imitation Pokémon. This Pokémon hides in trees to avoid capture."_

"Well, that Sudowoodo sure had us fooled," said Hillary. "Now what?"

"I guess we'll have to find a different way around," replied Tristan.

"But we can't do that!" protested Hillary. "We're gonna miss the Water Pokémon Tournament! And besides, this is the only way to Ecruteak City!"

The wild Sudowoodo was enjoying toying with Tristan and Hillary as they tried to figure out which way to go.

Presently, they saw a young woman approaching them. "Excuse me, but what are you two doing here?"

"We're sorry, ma'am," replied Hillary. "But we just found a Sudowoodo, and it's blocking our way."

"Let me see if I can find my watering can," said Hillary as she dug into her backpack. However, she had a hard time finding it. "Oh, dear, now what did I do with it?"

Sudowoodo was dancing and laughing as the woman kept digging into her backpack for her watering can with no success.

* * *

"Sorry you couldn't find your watering can," said Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi followed the woman through the woods.

"That's all right," replied the woman. "By the way, I'm Tuscany. I'm one of the seven Week Siblings. That's because I was born on a Tuesday."

"It's nice to meet you, Tuscany," replied Hillary. "I'm Hillary, and this is my big brother, Tristan."

"Hello there," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Tuscany warmly.

"It's nice to meet you all," smiled Tuscany. "Monica, my older sister, told me that you would be coming to meet me. Why don't you stay at my place for awhile before we deal with that Sudowoodo. I can also make something for you."

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were enjoying the meal that Tuscany cooked for them.

"Yum!" said Tristan. "Did you use all natural ingredients for this, Tuscany?"

Tuscany nodded. "I think it's important to use as many natural ingredients to bring out the freshness in everything I make. Not only do Pokémon enjoy this, but people do, too."

"I agree," said Hillary. "Natural stuff goes a long way."

"When we met Monica, she had great food just like you did," added Tristan. "We even worked together to outwit those Beedrill, who were being territorial at the time because they were taking care of their eggs."

"That makes sense," said Tuscany. "I'm glad you safely made it out of that mess."

"So are we," replied Tristan and Hillary.

"Now we just need to figure out how to take care of that Sudowoodo," said Tuscany. Presently, she spotted something on a high shelf. "Ah! There's my watering can!" And she reached for the can, which looked like a little Squirtle.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"This is a Squirtbottle," answered Tuscany. "It acts like a watering can."

* * *

After lunch was over, Tuscany led Tristan and Hillary back to where Sudowoodo was standing. "For years, people have argued whether Sudowoodo is a Grass-type or a Rock-type."

"Why's that such a big deal?" asked Tristan.

"Because even though Sudowoodo looks like a tree, others have seen it afraid of water," answered Tuscany. "About a month or two ago, I've seen a few other Trainers try to combat the Sudowoodo, trying to settle that very argument."

"Speaking of which, there it is right there!" said Hillary as she pointed to something up ahead.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

Sure enough, it was that very Sudowoodo that blocked their way earlier. It was dancing and laughing as usual.

"I wonder why that Sudowoodo is laughing," said Tristan.

"You don't suppose it wants to test our strength in a Pokémon battle, do you?" asked Tuscany.

"I think it does," replied Hillary. "And I bet it thinks it's gonna be funny beating us."

Sudowoodo continued to laugh and dance around as it motioned someone to challenge it.

"You think it's funny now, Sudowoodo, but you won't be laughing much longer," said Hillary as she took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Let's go, Cyndaquil!"

Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Sudowoodo seemed to enjoy Hillary's choice.

_Why did Hillary choose Cyndaquil? _thought Tristan. _Maybe she wants to see for herself if Sudowoodo is a Grass-type or a Rock-type. We'll just have to see. _"Be careful, sis," he said out loud. "There's no telling what that Sudowoodo can do."

"Don't worry, just leave it to me," replied Hillary. "Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back and shot a stream of fire from its mouth at Sudowoodo.

However, Sudowoodo seemed to dance around as the flames licked it. Next, it jumped into the air and shot a powerful stream of fire right at Cyndaquil!

Everyone gasped in shock.

"No way!" exclaimed Tristan. "That Sudowoodo can use Flamethrower, too?"

"Quick, dodge it, Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil got out of the way of Sudowoodo's Flamethrower just in time.

"Let's show it how strong we are with a Flame Wheel attack, Cyndaquil!" commanded Hillary.

Cyndaquil rolled into a ball as flames ignited all around it.

But then Sudowoodo raised its right leg and tripped Cyndaquil, causing its Flame Wheel to stop dead in its tracks.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"That Sudowoodo just used a Low Kick attack!" gasped Tuscany.

Then Sudowoodo jumped up and shot another powerful stream of fire at Cyndaquil, scoring a direct hit on it.

Everyone gasped in shock as Cyndaquil took heavy damage from the attack.

"Cyndaquil's been hit!" exclaimed Tristan.

Cyndaquil tumbled on the ground and collapsed. It had been knocked out.

"Cyndaquil!" gasped Hillary as she ran to it. "Cyndaquil, are you okay?"

Cyndaquil gave a weak reply as she gently held it in her arms.

"Great job, Cyndaquil," said Hillary. "Take a good rest." And she returned Cyndaquil inside its Poké Ball.

Sudowoodo continued to laugh and dance as everyone watched.

"I can't understand why Sudowoodo was able to use a Flamethrower attack," said Hillary.

"It most likely used Mimic," answered Tuscany.

"What's Mimic?" asked Tristan.

"It's an attack that lets a Pokémon copy the last attack your opponent used," explained Tuscany. "That way, it'll work to its own advantage."

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (in its entirety))_

"So that's why Sudowoodo was able to use Flamethrower right after Cyndaquil used it," said Tristan. "That's pretty incredible."

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

But Hillary refused to give up. "All right then, let's see how Sudowoodo likes this Pokémon," said Hillary as she took out another Poké Ball. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Hillary's instructions.

"What are you gonna do, Hillary?" asked Tristan.

"There's only one thing TO do, Tristan," replied Hillary. "And that's to prove Sudowoodo's type once and for all." She then faced Sudowoodo. "All right, Sudowoodo, let's see what you can do now."

Sudowoodo eagerly motioned Hillary to come and get it.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Sudowoodo.

Sudowoodo didn't flinch until a stray drop of water hit it. It then backed away quickly.

"It dodged it!" gasped Tristan.

"Not quite," replied Tuscany.

"What do you mean, Tuscany?" asked Tristan.

"Sudowoodo only backed away from the water because it was afraid of the water," explained Tuscany. "That proves the suspicion that it is, indeed, a Rock-type."

"Amazing," said Tristan. "I never knew that Sudowoodo would be afraid of water until Squirtle battled it, allowing us to see for ourselves what type Sudowoodo really is."

"It's time to put a whole new spin on things, Squirtle," said Hillary.

Squirtle agreed and then spun round and round toward Sudowoodo, surprising everyone.

"Hey, what was that?" asked Tristan.

"That's a Rapid Spin!" gasped Tuscany.

Squirtle spun and struck Sudowoodo, giving it some damage.

"That was great, Squirtle!" commended Hillary. "You've learned how to use Rapid Spin!"

Squirtle nodded happily.

"All right, Squirtle, use Rapid Spin again!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle spun round and round, faster and faster straight toward Sudowoodo again.

But then, Sudowoodo began to spin round and round in the same way.

"That's Mimic again!" gasped Tuscany.

"Don't let it get to you, Squirtle, just keep spinning!" encouraged Hillary.

Both Pokémon collided and attempted to push each other back with neither giving an inch.

"It looks like a draw," said Tristan.

"Unless it does what I think it does next," said Tuscany.

Sudowoodo flapped its arms and legs and repeatedly hit Squirtle with them sending Squirtle flying.

"I knew it," said Tuscany. "Sudowoodo just used Flail."

"Hang on, Squirtle, don't give up!" encouraged Hillary.

Squirtle landed on the ground, then it emerged from its shell.

"I can't believe how strong that Sudowoodo is," remarked Tristan. "It knows how to use Mimic, Flail, and Low Kick. Now that's what I call impressive."

Sudowoodo charged straight towards Squirtle as it prepared to finish it off.

"This is it, Squirtle, hit it with your best Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth just as Sudowoodo got within striking distance.

Sudowoodo got a blast of water directly in its face as it was sent flying. Then it turned tail and made a run for it.

"Sudowoodo, come back!" yelled Hillary.

"Forget about it, Hillary," said Tuscany.

"But why?" asked Hillary. "Squirtle and I were just getting warmed up."

"Just take a look," said Tuscany as she pointed to the pathway.

Sure enough, the pathway had been cleared, and Sudowoodo was no longer with them.

"I guess that battle really did something for us after all," said Hillary. She then picked up Squirtle and held it in her arms. "You were great, Squirtle. And you even learned how to use Rapid Spin."

Squirtle gave a happy reply.

"I can't wait until the Water Pokémon Tournament begins," said Hillary.

"And neither can I," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed excitedly.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

"Thanks for your help in helping us get through here, Tuscany," said Tristan as he and Hillary prepared to say their goodbyes to her.

"Actually, I should be thanking you guys," replied Tuscany. "If it hadn't been for you, we would never have been able to clear a path that goes through here. That explains why fewer people were visiting the Ruins of Alph these past few days."

"The Ruins of Alph?" wondered Hillary. "What's that?"

"It's a historical site where fossils have been dug up," explained Tuscany. "Not only that, it's a place where tourists can try and solve ancient puzzles."

"Hey, Tristan, would it be okay if we explored the Ruins of Alph?" asked Hillary. "I know the Ecruteak Gym won't be going anywhere, and the Water Pokémon Tournament isn't supposed to start for another few days yet. So can we?"

"Well, I don't see why not," smiled Tristan.

"Hooray!" said Hillary excitedly. "I can't wait to see it!"

"It sounds like you have big plans at the Ruins of Alph," chuckled Tuscany. "And I have something else for you." And she handed them some Super Potion bottles.

"Thanks so much, Tuscany," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"You're very welcome," replied Tuscany. "Be sure to say hi to my younger brothers and sisters when you see them."

"We will! Bye now!" called Tristan and Hillary as they waved to her.

"Bye, guys!" replied Tuscany. "Thanks for everything!" And she waved until Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were out of sight.

* * *

_And so, after encountering a Sudowoodo blocking the roadway, Squirtle learns Rapid Spin, causing Hillary's excitement for the Water Pokémon Tournament to grow. Now it's on to the Ruins of Alph for more new exciting mysteries in the world of Pokémon. Maybe Tristan and Hillary should become archaeologists._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	44. TO KNOW THE UNOWN, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 44 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This chapter is based off my experiences solving the puzzles in the Ruins of Alph on the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games, but this will be just a trifle different. You'll see what I mean later. Plus, Foster from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. Finally, this chapter and the next one's title are based off the song, "To Know the Unknown" from the third Pokémon movie. That song was written and composed by John Siegler and John Loeffler. Lyrics are by Norman J. Grossfield and sung by Innosense. Just so you know, I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other known character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews when you have time.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary's history lesson in the Ruins of Alph turns into a magnificent discovery, which leads them into a strange chamber. What secrets will they encounter in that chamber?**

**Chapter 44: TO KNOW THE UNOWN, PART 1**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_Today, our heroes arrive at the Ruins of Alph, a popular tourist attraction and popular historical site. They plan to learn about the rich history of the prehistoric Pokémon and the never-ending secrets._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were walking through the Ruins of Alph as they took in the sights.

Presently, Tristan noticed something on the wall. "Look at that. It looks like an Aerodactyl fossil."

"It sure seems like it," agreed Hillary. "And look at the arrow-shaped tail."

"I guess that's how Aerodactyl was named, huh?" said Tristan as he looked up Aerodactyl's entry in his Pokédex.

_"Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon. This vicious Pokémon is said to have flown in the ancient skies while shrieking high-pitched cries. Its hard teeth suggest that it was a carnivore. Its claws allowed it to capture its prey in prehistoric times."_

"I don't know about you, but I never want to experience being caught that way by an Aerodactyl again," shivered Tristan.

"I wouldn't either," agreed Hillary. "After the experience we had at Grampa Canyon a while back, who would? But it's nice to at least learn about the Aerodactyl here."

And they kept walking until they saw a building in the distance.

"Hey, maybe someone there can help us learn more about this site's history," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea, let's go see," agreed Hillary as they walked closer to the building.

* * *

Inside, a man wearing a white lab coat was working on discovering a Pokémon fossil that he had just discovered.

Presently, Tristan and Hillary approached.

"Hello, there," said Tristan.

"Greetings," said the man. "And welcome to the Ruins of Alph's research center."

"We wanted to learn about the fossils that are here," explained Hillary.

"We saw an Aerodactyl fossil and wanted to learn more about some of the other fossils that were here," added Tristan.

"Well, you've come to the right place," said the man. "My name's Foster. I'm a researcher here at the Ruins of Alph.

"My name's Tristan," said Tristan. "And this is my sister Hillary."

"Hello there," added Hillary.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," smiled Foster. Follow me."

* * *

Foster led Tristan and Hillary to a lifelike exhibit of a forest. "This forest is a replica of an ancient forest that was here millions of years ago," he explained. "We built robots of prehistoric Pokémon that are so lifelike you'd think that they're really alive." And he showed them robots of Aerodactyl flying around in the forest.

"So this is how Aerodactyl lived in ancient times, right?" said Tristan.

"Boy, if we were to travel back in time to that time, we'd certainly believe it," added Hillary.

"And these are fossils of Kabutops, another of our prehistoric Pokémon," continued Foster.

"Wow," said Hillary as she looked up Kabutops' entry in her Pokédex.

_"Kabutops, the Shellfish Pokémon. In ancient times, this Pokémon was able to swim quickly through the water by compactly folding up its razor-sharp sickles."_

"That's pretty incredible," said Tristan.

"That's true," agreed Foster, "but what the Pokédex didn't say was that Kabutops would use said sickles to rip their prey to shreds and suck their body fluids."

"I wouldn't want that," said Hillary nervously.

"But here's something that'll calm you down," said Foster as he showed them two fossils. "These are Dome Fossils. They are used for reviving the ancient Kabuto, which is Kabutops' pre-evolved form."

Hillary looked up Kabuto's entry in her Pokédex.

_"Kabuto, the Shellfish Pokémon. This Pokémon is said to have hidden on the sea floor three hundred million years ago. It also has eyes on the back that glow."_

"And these are Helix fossils that are used for bringing Omanyte and its evolved form, Omastar, back to life," continued Foster as he showed them fossils that looked like spiral shells. The bigger fossil had spikes on it.

Tristan looked up Omanyte and Omastar's entries in his Pokédex.

_"Omanyte, the Spiral Pokémon. Believed to have lived over two billion years ago, recent research indicates that it was able to control its buoyancy by storing and releasing air in its shell._

_"Omastar, the Spiral Pokémon. The evolved form of Omanyte. This extinct Pokémon is believed to have used its sharp fangs in order to break through the shells of its prey in order to feed."_

"That's incredible," said Tristan.

"Recently, when Professor Oak and his friends, Ash, Misty, and Brock came here, they learned about the prehistoric Pokémon," said Foster. "Not only that, we were able to save the Omanyte and Omastar and helped them go back to their original habitats."

"You mean there were real ones there?" gasped Tristan.

"That's an amazing discovery!" added Hillary excitedly.

"Well, there aren't any real ones here right now since they've all gone back home," said Foster. "But it was something that I'd been wanting to research for a while. But I couldn't just keep these Pokémon captive while visitors were tempted to catch them. So I put them in this very exhibit to protect them as long as I could. When we found out that Team Rocket was stealing the water, which is critical to all of our exhibits, we had to figure out a way to stop them. And thanks to Ash and his friends, we were able to do just that."

"I'm glad you were able to help the Pokémon out," said Hillary.

"That makes me happy to think that the Omanyte and Omastar have safe homes again," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

"Professor Oak and I have been friends and colleagues for years, especially since I was his top student at Celadon University," continued Foster. "Researching things has always been one of my favorite things to do. So I opened up this research center and guided Trainers through the rich history this place had to offer. Needless to say, this has been a big success."

Presently, Tristan noticed a strange tile with a letter on it. "What's this thing?" And he showed it to Foster.

_(Music Cue: Messenger)_

Foster closely examined it. "I'm not sure. I've never seen it here before."

Suddenly, a flat, thin line Pokémon shaped like an eye with appendages resembling the letter "A" appeared out of thin air behind Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu pricked its ears up and alerted Tristan.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

But before Tristan could see the Pokémon, it disappeared just as suddenly.

"I guess there's nothing there, Pikachu," said Tristan. "Maybe you just imagined it."

"Something wrong, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"It's nothing, sis, I'm fine," replied Tristan.

"Hmm," said Foster as he continued to examine the artifact. "Something strange is definitely going on here. Why don't we go into the chamber?"

* * *

Foster led Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi into a nearby cave.

A young woman was waiting for them. "Hello there. And welcome to this chamber."

"Ma'am, would you kindly tell the kids about this chamber?" asked Foster. "I've gotta get back to my research...and learn more about this piece that we just recently discovered." And he showed the woman the tile.

_(Music Cue: Strange Weather)_

The woman took a closer look at it. "This appears to be an ancient form of writing of some kind. But what kind that is, I don't even know. I've never seen anything like this before." She turned to Tristan and Hillary. "This ancient form of writing is like what we see on these puzzle pieces. Tourists from all over the Johto region have tried to solve the puzzle, but with no success. Some people speculate that there may be something mysterious with it."

"Mysterious? How?" asked Hillary.

"None of us are sure exactly," answered the woman. "But all we know is that it's connected to some sort of ancient Pokémon."

Presently, Tristan's Silver Wing hanging around his neck began to glow. "That's weird."

"What's weird?" asked Hillary.

"My Silver Wing is reacting to something," said Tristan.

"You don't suppose..." began Hillary. "Nah, it couldn't be."

"Couldn't be what?" asked Foster.

"That a legendary Pokémon could be nearby?" wondered Hillary.

"All I know is that if the Silver Wing is reacting to the puzzle, then it's in my best interest to solve it," replied Tristan. "Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement as Tristan slowly walked over to the puzzle.

"Well, I don't know about any legendary Pokémon being nearby," said the woman. "But I can assure you that this place is empty. You won't find any wild Pokémon anywhere around the Ruins of Alph."

"I guess that makes sense, but why did the Silver Wing react like that?" asked Hillary. And she slowly followed Tristan to the puzzle.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lugia, the Pokémon Tristan and Pikachu befriended, was flying through the skies when it suddenly stopped. _I'm sensing something really big. I don't know what it is, but I doubt it's good. I have to get to Tristan before it's too late. _And it quickly made a U-turn and flew as fast as it could.

* * *

Back in the chamber, Tristan turned on the radio on his Poké Gear and heard strange noises.

"Sounds like your Poké Gear's on the fritz," said Hillary.

"I don't think so," replied Tristan. "But I've never even heard it make that noise before."

Hillary then turned on her radio and noticed her Poké Gear making the same noises as Tristan's was. "Mine's doing that, too! That's so weird!"

Tristan began to work on the puzzle pieces as Foster and the woman watched. "Let's see...if I put that here and turn this piece this way...no, that's not right."

"Maybe I can help you figure it out," suggested Hillary. Then she saw something above the puzzle. "Hey, look! There's a message here!"

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Tristan saw that Hillary was right. "We never saw it here before."

"Neither have I," said the woman. "I've been in this chamber numerous times, but have never seen that before. It must have just shown up recently. But what could it mean?"

Tristan looked at the message and then gasped in shock. "I...can...read it!"

"What? You can?" Hillary was surprised. She never knew that he was able to read something in an ancient language. "What does it say?"

Tristan deciphered the text.

"He who solves the puzzle here  
Must have a heart that's so sincere...  
Then he must help the ones in need  
And thus, he shall complete this deed."

"But what does that mean?" asked Hillary. "And how were you able to read the text so easily?"

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "Maybe it's because our connection to the legendary Pokémon is so strong that we can read the text as if it were written in our language."

Hillary gasped in shock. "Hey, I can read that, too! But that's impossible! No mortal could read this text that easily except for a chosen few!"

"We must be the chosen few," said Tristan. "Because if the text says that someone needs our help, then we have to solve this puzzle."

* * *

For the next hour, Tristan and Hillary worked together to figure out which of the pieces connected together.

"I got these two connected," said Hillary. "But I don't understand where these two go." Then he saw a different piece that fit one of the pieces in his hand and connected. Sure enough, they fit perfectly. "All right! Maybe these two next."

They connected the puzzle together piece by piece. At last, they were down to the last one and connected it to the puzzle.

"Hey, we did it!" they said excitedly.

"Well done!" said Foster.

"Now that's what I call teamwork," agreed the woman.

Suddenly, the puzzle began to glow in a bright light.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears (as heard in "Revelation Lugia"))_

"What's going on?" gasped Hillary.

Then, just as suddenly, Tristan's Silver Wing glowed brightly. "My Silver Wing...it's glowing again!"

"I'm not liking this!" said Foster worriedly.

Then, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi found themselves surrounded in a barrier of light.

Foster and the woman shielded their eyes because the light was so strong.

Seconds later, the light disappeared, and Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi had all disappeared.

"What? They're gone!" gasped the woman.

"But they were just here!" said Foster. "How could that be?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Lugia kept flying in the sky in the hopes of reaching Tristan in time. But suddenly, it stopped. _Tristan! _it exclaimed. _Where are you?_

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (Ash Appears)_

Presently, Mew and Mewtwo appeared next to Lugia.

_What happened? _asked Mewtwo.

_It's Tristan, _answered Lugia. _I can't feel him at all. Hillary's disappeared, too! It's like they've vanished off the face of the planet!_

_You mean they're no longer here? _asked Mewtwo. _You don't suppose some Pokémon decided to Teleport them to a secret location somewhere, do you? That has happened before._

_I'm telling you, they're not here! _insisted Lugia.

_Well, do you know where they are? _asked Mewtwo. _Are you able to contact him through the Silver Wing that you gave him?_

_I don't know, but I think Tristan's been cut off from me or something! He and Hillary both! Isn't there anything we can do to help them before they wind up in serious danger?_

_Mew might know where they are, _replied Mewtwo. _I'm sure Mew can take you to whatever place they might have ended up._

_I welcome any help I can get, _agreed Lugia. It then thought to itself. _Don't worry, Tristan. I promise to find you and make sure you're safe._

* * *

_And so, after solving an ancient puzzle, our heroes have suddenly and mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Where have they gone? Who needs their help? And will Lugia be able to find Tristan and Hillary, wherever they are? This adventure in the Ruins of Alph and beyond is only just beginning, so stay tuned!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	45. TO KNOW THE UNOWN, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 45 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This chapter as well as the last one are based off my experiences in the Ruins of Alph, where Unown is discovered. Foster from the anime makes one more appearance in this chapter, albeit a shorter one. ****this chapter and the previous one's title are based off the song, "To Know the Unknown" from the third Pokémon movie. That song was written and composed by John Siegler and John Loeffler. Lyrics are by Norman J. Grossfield and sung by Innosense. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews when you have some free time.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary end up in the Unown's dimension and find an ailing Unown. Lugia and Mew come to help, but the Unown see them and go on the attack! Will Tristan and Hillary help them understand and find a way to get out of the Unown's dimension in one piece?**

**Chapter 45: TO KNOW THE UNOWN, PART 2**

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 2000 Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei)_

_Last time, our heroes arrived at the Ruins of Alph to learn more about some prehistoric Pokémon fossils when Tristan discovered an ancient tile that suddenly appeared out of nowhere._

_Foster, a researcher at the facility, escorted Tristan and Hillary to a nearby chamber where a puzzle had yet to be solved._

_Tristan somehow was able to decipher the ancient text that was written above the puzzle._

_Working together, Tristan and Hillary managed to solve the puzzle. But as soon as they did, it started lighting up, and so did Tristan's Silver Wing. Shortly thereafter, they both disappeared without a trace. _

_Lugia, sensing Tristan's disappearance, sought after Mew and Mewtwo for help._

_Now the question is: where have Tristan and Hillary disappeared to?_

* * *

Tristan was the first to slowly regain consciousness, but when he opened his eyes, he noticed that he wasn't where he just was. "Where am I?" He then realized he was floating in mid-air. "Whoa! What's going on?"

Presently, Hillary floated in mid-air right next to him. She was still unconscious.

Then, Pikachu and Togepi floated next to them.

"Hillary, wake up," said Tristan as he gently nudged her.

Hillary slowly opened her eyes and saw that she wasn't where she just was just as Pikachu and Togepi slowly came to. "What happened? Where are we?"

"I'm not sure, but I think we ended up in a different dimension," answered Tristan.

"Are you sure?" asked Hillary.

"Right after we solved the puzzle, it and my Silver Wing glowed, somehow transporting us to another world," explained Tristan. "But I have no idea which dimension we ended up in."

Presently, they saw multiple thin lined Pokémon resembling eyes, all representing different letters of the alphabet and chanting.

"What are they?" asked Hillary.

"Let's find out," replied Tristan as he took out his Pokédex and scanned them with it.

_"Unown, the Symbol Pokémon. Unown are said to have existed since ancient times. There are many in form and shape, but little is known about this mysterious Pokémon."_

"You don't suppose the Unown transported us here after we solved the puzzle, do you?" asked Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Unown's Theme)_

Suddenly, the Unown turned around, saw them, and quickly flew over to them.

"Whoa, look out!" exclaimed Hillary.

Sure enough, the Unown were approaching at frightening speed and quickly surrounded them. But they didn't look hostile.

"It doesn't look like they want to attack us," said Tristan.

"Then what do they want?" asked Hillary.

Presently, the Unown began flying around them.

"Are they trying to tell us something?" asked Hillary.

"If they are, I don't know what they're saying," replied Tristan.

Suddenly, they started flying off.

"Wait, Unown!" called Hillary. "Where are you going?" She turned to Tristan. "Quick, we've gotta follow them."

"But how?" asked Tristan. "How are we supposed to fly in here?" Then suddenly, Tristan raised his arms and with all his might, flew high in the air. "Hey, I guess that's how. Hey, Hillary, just do what I did, and we'll follow them!"

"Okay!" And Hillary did the same thing, and sure enough, she was flying in the air as well.

"Come on, everyone, let's follow the Unown!" said Tristan as he led Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi to where the Unown were taking them.

As they followed, they could see the dimension in many different colors of purple, blue, and pink.

"This is definitely another world, all right," remarked Hillary.

Presently, the Unown sped ahead.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi quickly flew right behind them to try and keep up. Presently, they saw another Unown, which resembled the letter "M"

"Look, Tristan! Another one!" gasped Hillary.

"This place is sure full of them," replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi were just about to agree when they suddenly sensed something. They quickly flew ahead of Tristan and Hillary.

"Wait for us, guys!" called Tristan.

"We're coming, too!" added Hillary as she and Tristan quickly flew after them.

* * *

Back in the real world, Lugia had just finished explaining the situation to Mew and Mewtwo. _Tristan needs me. I have to make sure he's okay!_

_I'm sure he's fine, _Mewtwo assured it. _We may not know exactly where he is, but Mew can take you anywhere._

_All right, then let's go! _said Lugia.

As Mew grabbed on to Lugia, they both began to glow, and in no time, they both disappeared.

_Best of luck, _whispered Mewtwo to itself. And it flew away.

* * *

Back in the chamber at the Ruins of Alph, Foster and the woman couldn't believe at what just happened.

"Why would those kids disappear without a trace?" asked the woman.

"I don't know," replied Foster. "I'm getting awfully worried about them. What if they disappeared for good? Their family would be worried sick!"

"Now calm down, Foster," said the woman. "I'm sure that wherever they are, they'll be back here."

"Maybe we should get Officer Jenny to help solve this," suggested Foster.

"Good idea," agreed the woman.

* * *

Back in the Unown dimension, there was an Unown with its eye closed.

A lot of the Unown had gathered around it and looked very worried.

Pikachu and Togepi stopped just ahead of their Trainers.

"I wonder why the Unown look so worried," said Hillary.

Tristan checked the "M" Unown and felt it. "This Unown feels really hot. It must have a high fever."

"That's why the others wanted us to follow them," said Hillary. "They wanted a someone who knows how to treat Pokémon.

"Of course!" gasped Tristan. "Remember the rhyme that we saw above the puzzle we had solved?"

Hillary remembered the words and said:

"He who solves the puzzle here  
Must have a heart that's so sincere...  
Then he must help the ones in need  
And thus, he shall complete this deed."

"They must've been looking for someone who had a pure heart and asked for help with their sick friend, and summoned us here!" added Tristan.

"Then that explains why your Silver Wing glowed like the puzzle in the Ruins of Alph!" finished Hillary.

Tristan was connecting the dots and saw the ailing Unown. Then he turned to the other Unown. "I think I can help," he said. "But it'll take a little time for this one to recover. Will you let me help your friend?"

The other Unown nodded.

Tristan took off his backpack, clutched it in his arms and struggled to take out his first aid kit while still keeping his unhatched egg safe inside. Quickly, he closed it up again and felt the "M" Unown's forehead. It was very warm to the touch.

"So, what's up?" asked Hillary.

"This Unown's got a pretty high fever," answered Tristan. "It doesn't appear to be too serious, but I need to give it some treatment so its fever can go down."

"What are we gonna do?"

"First of all, it'll need a good, long rest," said Tristan. "Second, it will need this." And he carefully took out a small towel.

"But that's just a dry towel," said Hillary. "How will that help?"

"Maybe if your Squirtle uses Water Gun to moisten it, it could help bring its fever down," suggested Tristan. "Besides, we're several dimensions too far from a Pokémon Center anyway."

"Well, it couldn't hurt," agreed Hillary as she took out Squirtle's Poké Ball. "Squirtle, come on out."

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and felt itself slowly spinning in midair.

"Squirtle, we need your help," said Hillary. "Could you gently use Water Gun on this towel to make it wet?"

Squirtle nodded and gently shot its Water Gun at the towel, making it nice and moist.

"Perfect, Squirtle!" said Hillary.

Squirtle gave a happy nod.

Tristan then slipped the towel on the "M" Unown's forehead while he held it close.

Just then, Mew and Lugia appeared close by.

Lugia saw Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon floating nearby. _Tristan! Hillary!_

Tristan and Hillary heard Lugia's voice behind them and quickly turned around.

"It's Lugia!" said Tristan excitedly. "And Mew's with it!"

"They found us!" added Hillary.

Just then, all the Unown glared at Lugia and Mew.

"Uh-oh," said Hillary. "It looks like they didn't expect company."

Tristan could see that Hillary was right, for they started flying toward Lugia and Mew and surrounded them. Still holding the "M" Unown, he and Pikachu flew over in their defense. "Hold on, Unown! Lugia and Mew came to us because we're friends! They wanted to make sure we're okay!"

Even Pikachu and Togepi agreed as they tried to reason with the Unown.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

But the Unown didn't listen, and charged in for the attack on not only Mew and Lugia, but Tristan as well for allowing them to find him. They continued to fly straight toward him as small white orbs surrounded them.

"Quick, Tristan, you've gotta move now!" cried Hillary.

All the Unown combined their orbs into one powerful giant blast of energy and fired it directly at him, not realizing that he was still holding the "M" Unown tightly in his arms in an effort to protect it.

Pikachu and Togepi shouted for him to get out of the line of fire.

Tristan braced himself and closed his eyes as the blast got closer.

Then Lugia flew right in front of Tristan and surrounded itself in a green aura, successfully blocking the Unown's attack.

Tristan opened his eyes to see that Lugia had used Safeguard to protect him from harm. "Thanks, Lugia."

_Anytime, _replied Lugia._ I'll never let anything harm you as long as I'm here._

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

The Unown finally saw that Tristan still held the ailing Unown in his arms and stopped glaring at him, Mew, and Lugia.

"Hey, look!" said Hillary. "The Unown seem to understand!"

Tristan breathed a sigh of relief and said to the Unown, "I promise, these Pokémon would never do anything to hurt you. All they wanted was to make sure I was okay."

All the Unown looked at each other and understood what Tristan said.

_It looks like they figured it out, _said Lugia. Then it saw the ailing Unown in Tristan's hands. _What happened to that little guy?_

"This Unown's sick and needs help," answered Tristan. He then turned to the Unown. "Okay, we need to take this Unown out of this dimension for a little while so that we can properly treat it. But I promise as soon as it's better, we will return it to you."

The Unown nodded and understood. They opened a portal in the middle of the dimension and motioned Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends to go through it.

"Hey, look! A portal!" said Hillary.

"That must be our way out!" agreed Tristan. "Come on, everybody!" And he led everyone through the portal back to the real world.

* * *

Just outside the chamber in the Ruins of Alph, Foster and the woman saw the portal opening up in the sky. They saw Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends fall out of the hole just as it closed and crash-land on the ground into a heap much to Foster and the woman's shock.

"Ow," moaned Hillary. "Remind me never to crash-land like that again."

"Yeah, let's use a softer landing next time," agreed Tristan.

Foster and the woman quickly rushed over.

"Are you both okay?" asked Foster.

Tristan and Hillary slowly picked themselves up and showed them the Unown.

"I've never seen a Pokémon like that," gasped Foster.

"This is an Unown," explained Tristan. "It came from the Unown Dimension just like we did, and it needs some medical care." And he gently placed the "M" Unown on the ground and put the moist towel on its forehead.

The woman was impressed. "These two kids sure have been on many adventures."

Foster agreed.

* * *

Several hours later, the "M" Unown opened its eyes and floated in the air, much to Tristan and Hillary's delight. It was feeling much better.

"Unown looks as good as new," remarked Hillary.

"That rest and the moist towel did the trick," agreed Tristan. "I guess the Unown's fever wasn't as serious as we first thought.

The "M" Unown thanked them as the portal opened up in the sky.

The other Unown were seen as the "M" Unown flew closer and closer to the portal.

"The other Unown have come back," said Tristan.

"To take their friend back home," added Hillary.

Sure enough, that's what they were doing, for as the "M" Unown went through the hole, the portal closed, and soon, it disappeared.

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Everyone looked up as the sky cleared up again.

"I wonder what that was all about," said the woman.

Then Foster saw that the passage above the puzzle board had disappeared. "Hey, where'd those words go?"

"It must've vanished after Tristan and Hillary helped that Unown get well again," said the woman.

Tristan and Hillary turned to Lugia and Mew.

"How did you know where to find us?" asked Tristan.

_After your Silver Wing alerted me that something was going on at the Ruins of Alph, I flew there as fast as I could go, _answered Lugia. _Unfortunately, I was too late since you disappeared in that dimension, but fortunately, Mew was able to transport us to where you were. We wanted to make sure that you weren't in any danger._

"Fortunately or unfortunately?" said Tristan. "I'm confused."

_I couldn't make up my mind, _chuckled Lugia.

"We appreciate your helping us out like that," said Hillary.

Tristan nodded in agreement. "But I wonder...do you think we'll see the Unown again?"

Pikachu and Togepi wondered too as they and their Trainers continued to look up at the sky.

* * *

_And so, another mystery of the Pokémon world is revealed to our heroes. Could some Pokémon, like the Unown, really come from different dimensions? Could there be more? More mysteries are waiting to be solved in the Pokémon world, so stay tuned._

►** TO BE CONTINUED**


	46. WATER THE CHANCES?

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 46 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I was inspired by the episode: "The Grass Route" to write this chapter that features a Water Pokémon Tournament. I mentioned in the first chapter that Hillary would be participating in various tournaments throughout this story, and I figured she was long overdue to battle in another one. Also, you may recall Christopher and Harrison from the Whirl Cup tournament. They make appearances in this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter. Feel free to leave responsible reviews, too.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary participate in the Water Pokémon Tournament. Which Trainer out of many others will win and earn the collection of Water Stones?**

**Chapter 46: WATER THE CHANCES?**

_(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

_Our heroes have stopped at a mountain stream. It's here that the Water Pokémon Tournament is about to take place._

"I can't wait to start battling!" said Hillary excitedly as she and Tristan walked over to the stream. "Squirtle and I are gonna take it all the way!"

Togepi seemed to agree with her.

"You certainly seem confident," replied Tristan. "When you battled in that Little Cup tournament in Violet City, I wanted to start participating in tournaments like that one."

"What do you mean, Tristan?"

"What I mean to say is that I want to participate in this tournament, too!" said Tristan as he started to get excited. "And with Totodile on the team, we can improve our chances!"

Pikachu was getting excited, too.

Hillary was a little perplexed. "Wow. There's something new." She didn't expect that.

"Come on, let's go register for the Water Pokémon tournament!" suggested Tristan. "Then we'll find out which of us deserves to be called the best Water Pokémon Trainer!" And he and Pikachu ran posthaste to the site where the competition would take place.

"Oh, boy," said Hillary to herself. "I'd better watch out for him." And she and Togepi followed suit.

* * *

There was a crowd of people waiting to register for the tournament. They all had Water Pokémon; some were bigger than others, but their Trainers were just as excited about the tournament as they were.

Tristan and Hillary eventually made it to the counter to register.

A lady greeted them warmly. "Welcome to the Water Pokémon tournament. Which one of your Pokémon will you be registering today?"

"You mean we can only choose one Water Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

The lady nodded. "This tournament rules say that only one Water Pokémon can be used at a time."

"What should I do, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Lapras and Squirtle are both great Water Pokémon, but I can't decide which one I should use."

"First of all, stay calm," suggested Tristan. "Second, think about the advantages your Water Pokémon have. I think it's best to use a Pokémon that can battle on both water and land...like Totodile." And he took out his Lure Ball.

The Lure Ball opened and Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Totodile was obviously very happy to see Tristan.

Tristan came to the counter and registered first. "I'm gonna use Totodile for this competition."

"Very good," said the lady as she wrote the entry down. "Who's next?"

Hillary came forward and sent Squirtle out of its Poké Ball. "I'm gonna use Squirtle as my partner."

"Good choice," smiled the lady as she wrote the entry down.

"Well, Hillary, you made a good decision," said Tristan. "Let's give it our all."

"You're on!" agreed Hillary as she and Tristan shared a fist bump.

But first, let's agree to take turns hanging out with Pikachu and Togepi.

"It's a deal," agreed Hillary.

But before they could shake on it, Pichu emerged from one of Hillary's Poké Balls and enthusiastically shocked them, causing them to yell out in pain.

They all collapsed on the ground after the shock was over.

"Yup," said Hillary, who was in a slight daze. "Pichu's as ecstatic about this as I am."

Tristan nodded in agreement.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Bug Catching Contest (higher-pitched (as heard in "Beauty and the Breeder")))_

"Welcome! Welcome one and all!" An announcer spoke on the microphone to the joy of many people in the audience. "Welcome to the Water Pokémon Tournament. The rules are very simple. Each Trainer that has registered is allowed the usage of only one Pokémon, and the Pokémon they use must have Water-type characteristics. All Trainers will be using the nearby piers as the battlefield. The battlefield will consist of many platforms, which the Trainers and Pokémon must adapt to in order to win. Winning Trainers will advance in the tournament; losing Trainers will be eliminated."

Tristan and Hillary looked at the Trainers they would be facing.

"Well, sis, not much competition so far," said Tristan. "But let's not get overconfident."

Hillary nodded in agreement.

"Thirty-two Trainers have registered for this event," continued the announcer. "And the winner will receive a collection of Water Stones!"

"Grandma would sure love one of those," said Hillary.

* * *

The tournament began a few moments later.

"All right," said the announcer, "let's get down to business and introduce the first two Trainers...Tristan and Adam!"

The field had multiple floating platforms, including two for each Trainer to stand on.

Tristan positioned himself on the green platform while Adam positioned himself on the other as Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi watched from the crowd of people.

The referee was ready to judge the match. "Ready...begin!"

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "A Dairy Tale Ending"))_

"Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Lure Ball.

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Go, Seel!" shouted Adam as he threw his Poké Ball.

His Seel emerged from the light that shot out of it.

"Let's wrap this up fast, Totodile," said Tristan.

Totodile nodded and charged into battle.

"Seel, Ice Beam now!" commanded Adam.

Seel shot an icy cold beam of energy from its horn directly at Totodile, but Totodile was too quick for it to connect as it jumped from one platform to the other.

"Totodile, Water Gun now!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile took a deep breath, then it shot a blast of water from its mouth at Seel, scoring a direct hit on it.

Seel was blasted into Adam, causing them both to knock each other out.

"Seel is unable to battle...Totodile is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

"Tristan and his Totodile make quick work out of their opponent and score their first round victory," said the announcer.

"Great job, Totodile," said Tristan.

Totodile jumped up and down. It was pleased with the easy win.

"Well, I'm up next, guys," said Hillary. "Wish me luck."

Pikachu and Togepi each gave Hillary a high-five.

* * *

Next, Hillary faced off against a female Trainer named Kayzie.

"Okay, Squirtle, go!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Go, Magikarp!" yelled Kayzie as she threw her Poké Ball.

Her Magikarp emerged from the white light that shot out of it, but it seemed to flail about on the platform pathetically.

Tristan hit his face in embarrassment. "How humiliating," he said.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

But Hillary was most annoyed.

The referee began the match.

"Come on, Squirtle, get in there!" yelled Hillary.

Squirtle charged into battle and used a Tackle attack on Magikarp.

Magikarp was knocked out in just one attack.

"Magikarp is unable to battle...Squirtle is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in Hillary's direction.

The crowd cheered and applauded for Hillary and Squirtle, who also scored another easy victory.

* * *

Tristan and Totodile easily defeated a Krabby in the top 16 and a Shellder in the quarter-finals.

Hillary and her Squirtle defeated a Goldeen in the top 16 and a Poliwag in the quarter-finals just as easily.

They had both made it to the semifinals while still maintaining their friendship.

"Well, Hillary, it looks like your Squirtle's handling things like a champ," said Tristan. "You should be very proud. Professor Oak certainly made the right decision to give it to you."

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Your Totodile's not so bad yourself. But don't expect me to go easy on you just because we're brother and sister."

"Right," agreed Tristan. "Let's get through the semifinals first. Then we'll see what happens."

Tristan and Hillary exchanged another fist bump as the first match-up of the semifinals was announced.

"The first match of the semifinals will now begin!" said the announcer. "It's Tristan and Totodile versus Christopher and Kingdra!"

"Kingdra," said Tristan to himself. "This'll be tough. But we can do it, right, Totodile?"

Totodile nodded in agreement.

* * *

In a few moments, Tristan and Christopher faced each other on opposite sides of the field.

"Go get 'em, Tristan!" cheered Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered in agreement.

"Both Trainers are ready to battle it out to see who makes it into the finals!" said the announcer.

"Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Lure Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (as heard in "The Grass Route"))_

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Go, Kingdra!" shouted Christopher as he threw his own Lure Ball.

A blue, large seahorse-like Pokémon with a tightly curved tail emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So that must be Kingdra," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Kingdra, the Dragon Pokémon. Kingdra normally rests on the ocean floor, but in periods of high activity, even a simple yawn has enough power to create whirlpools."_

"I sure hope Tristan knows what he's up against," said Hillary nervously. "Kingdra has characteristics of both Water and Dragon-types. This'll certainly make things tough to say the very least.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Tristan and Totodile.

The referee was ready to begin the match. "Ready...begin!"

"I may have recently lost in the Whirl Cup, but there's no way we can lose to another Totodile here!" said Christopher confidently. "Kingdra, Hydro Pump now!"

Kindgra fired a powerful blast of water in a spiral at Totodile.

"Quick, Totodile, dive underwater!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile quickly dove under the surface to avoid Kingdra's Hydro Pump.

"Oh, yeah? You're not gonna get away that easily," said Christopher. "Kingdra, Twister attack!"

Kingdra spun round and round in the water, faster and faster, until it created a water cyclone.

"What a powerful attack!" gasped Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed nervously as they looked on in shock.

Totodile got hit by Kingdra's Twister and was sent flying over the water. Seconds later, it went into a freefall.

"All right, Kingdra, Water Gun attack!" commanded Christopher.

Kingdra shot a powerful blast of water directly at the falling Totodile.

"Totodile, use your Water Gun to dodge it!" instructed Tristan.

Totodile aimed its Water Gun at the water, allowing it to change direction as it fell. Tristan's quick thinking allowed it to escape injury and land neatly on one of the floating platforms.

"Phew! That was close," said Hillary.

"All right, Totodile, back into the water!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile dove back into the water and awaited Tristan's next command.

"Kingdra, dive underwater, too!" instructed Christopher.

Kingdra dove under the surface and faced Totodile.

"Now Smokescreen!" ordered Christopher.

Kingdra released a large, black cloud of smoke from its snout while still underwater, causing it to get darker.

Totodile, unable to see anything underwater, shot back out of the water and landed on the platforms.

"Looks like the battle's come to a standstill as Totodile and Tristan await Kingdra's next move," said the announcer.

_I'll have to stay alert, _thought Tristan. _There's no telling where that Kingdra's gonna come up...or where._

_This is perfect! _thought Christopher. _The longer Kingdra stays underwater, the more nervous he's gonna get._

Tristan slowly took a few deep breaths, letting him relax a little more each time.

_Yeah, that's it, Tristan, _thought Hillary. _Don't let it get to you._

Tristan and Christopher stared at each other as Totodile awaited Kingdra's appearance.

"Okay, Christopher," said Tristan, "we're ready for you! Bring out your Kingdra.

"You heard what he said, Kingdra!" shouted Christopher. "Appear now!"

And with a mighty splash, Kingdra emerged from the water and readied itself for an attack.

"Kingdra, Hydro Pump, go!" yelled Christopher.

"Quick, Totodile, use Bite attack to close its mouth!" ordered Tristan.

And Totodile lunged forward and used its sharp teeth to hang on to Kingdra's snout, causing all the water inside to become blocked.

Kingdra grew larger and larger as the water continued to build up inside it.

"No! Not again!" yelled Christopher.

"Totodile's bitten Kingdra's mouth shut so the water can't escape," said Hillary.

When Kingdra grew to major proportions, Tristan was ready to release it. "You can let it go now, Totodile," he said.

And Totodile did, and once it did, Kingdra was sent spiraling into the air like a balloon losing air.

"Kingdra!" cried Christopher.

Seconds later, Kingdra appeared from way up high in the sky and landed in the water with a big splash. Afterwards, it was seen with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Kingdra is unable to battle...Totodile is the winner!" declared the referee.

"And so, Tristan defeats Christopher and moves on to the finals," said the announcer as the crowd cheered and applauded him.

"I knew Tristan could do it," said Hillary confidently. "Now it's my turn to make it to the finals."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed determinedly.

* * *

Next, Hillary faced off against a Trainer named Harrison, who was an expert fisherman, and was wearing a straw hat.

"Well, kid, I've had plenty of experience battling against all different kinds of Water Pokémon," he said. "And yours is gonna be no different."

"We'll see about that," replied Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball and threw it. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Harrison took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Qwilfish!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

A Pokémon with a spherical body and a flat tail emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It was blue on top and light yellow on the bottom, and it had sharp conical spikes all over its body.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Qwilfish, the Balloon Pokémon. The quills covering the entire body have evolved from scales. A Qwilfish can cause its body to swell in order to shoot its needles in all directions."_

"This could be trouble," said Tristan to himself. "Hillary's never faced a Qwilfish before, and it also has Poison-type characteristics, giving it more of an advantage."

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Hillary.

"Let's get this match over with nice and quick," said Harrison. "Qwilfish, Water Gun attack!"

Qwilfish shot a stream of water at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun attack, too!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water to block Qwilfish's Water Gun.

"So an even match, huh?" said Harrison. "Qwilfish, Take Down attack!"

Qwilfish charged toward Squirtle at full speed.

"Quick, Squirtle, dive underwater!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle quickly dove underwater and narrowly avoided Qwilfish's Take Down.

"You won't get away that easily!" said Harrison. "Qwilfish, Take Down again!"

Qwilfish dove underwater and charged straight toward Squirtle.

Unfortunately, Squirtle couldn't dodge it it time as Qwilfish scored a direct hit on it.

"Hang in there, Squirtle!" encouraged Hillary. "Use another Water Gun attack!"

Squirtle, still in midair, shot another blast of water from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Qwilfish.

"Okay, you're trying my patience!" said Harrison, who by this time was getting frustrated. "Qwilfish, Pin Missile attack!"

Qwilfish began to swallow water at a breakneck clip.

"What now?" asked Hillary.

"Qwilfish must be getting ready for a Pin Missile attack," said Tristan nervously. "The more water it takes in, the faster the speed of its pins. This turn of events is really gonna put Hillary's reaction time to the test."

Pikachu and Togepi cheered even more loudly for Hillary as Qwilfish continued to swallow water at an alarming rate.

Qwilfish swallowed as much water as it could; its body was now bigger than a beach ball.

"Qwilfish, Pin Missile attack now!" ordered Harrison.

Qwilfish glowed and fired multiple white needles at Squirtle, causing it to shrink back down to normal.

But the speed of Qwilfish's Pin Missile was faster than Hillary and Squirtle had anticipated.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" shouted Hillary.

Squirtle withdrew its limbs and head into its shell as its body glowed in a blue aura.

However, Qwilfish's Pin Missle scored a direct hit on it, sending it flying, much to Hillary's surprise.

"Squirtle!" cried Hillary.

"Looks like that Pin Missile did a lot of damage," said Tristan worriedly. "Hillary'd better think fast if she wants to win this."

"Okay, Squirtle, shoot your Water Gun toward the water!"

_(Music Cue: S.S. Aqua (as heard in "The Fire-ing Squad"))_

Squirtle fired another blast of water from its mouth directly at the water, causing it to do a backflip. Amazingly enough, it managed to land neatly on one of the floating platforms.

"Yeah, awesome, Squirtle!" commended Hillary.

"Not bad, kid," grumbled Harrison.

"Now that's more like it," smiled Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

"Qwilfish, use Take Down again!" ordered Harrison.

Qwilfish charged straight toward Squirtle again.

"Squirtle, use Rapid Spin!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell, and it spun faster and faster to match Qwilfish's Take Down speed for speed until they collided into one another. Sure enough, those two were evenly matched.

"Looks like it's over, kid," said Harrison.

"This battle's still on, Harrison," replied Hillary. "Okay, Squirtle, spin faster!"

Squirtle spun faster, and sure enough, Qwilfish was pushed back.

"Send it airborne with another Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle shot another blast of water at Qwilfish, scoring a direct hit on it, sending it skyward.

"Qwilfish!" cried Harrison.

"Hurry, Squirtle, finish it off with Skull Bash!" shouted Hillary.

Squirtle jumped upward out of the water as it glowed in a silver aura and scored a huge direct hit on Qwilfish, sending it even higher into the sky.

"Aaah! No!" cried Harrison.

Qwilfish flew higher and higher until the force of gravity sent it plummeting into the water below with a big splash. When the water cleared, Qwilfish had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Qwilfish is unable to battle...Squirtle is the winner!" declared the referee as the crowd cheered and applauded.

"Oh, why me?" grumbled Harrison as he sunk to his knees.

"Hillary defeats Harrison and will now face Tristan in the final match of the Water Pokémon Tournament!" said the announcer.

"Well, Hillary has proven that she'll be tough to beat," smiled Tristan. "We'll see what happens in the finals."

* * *

"Well, Tristan, it's you and me," said Hillary as they met a few moments later. "How does it feel to face off against a sibling?"

"Well, I was certainly impressed with your Squirtle's performance," replied Tristan. "But don't expect me to go easy on you just because we're brother and sister."

"I wouldn't want you to," said Hillary. "Let's give it all we've got, and no matter what happens, we're both winners."

"Right," agreed Tristan as he and Hillary shook hands. "Pikachu and Togepi, cheer really loud for the both of us."

Pikachu and Togepi nodded and agreed.

* * *

"All right, folks, this is it: the moment you've all been waiting for!" said the announcer. "Two Trainers who are brother and sister. It's Tristan from New Bark Town and Hillary, also from New Bark Town. Whoever wins this wins the Water Stones!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle (as heard in "One Trick Phony"))_

"Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Lure Ball.

"Squirtle, go!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Totodile and Squirtle emerged from the white lights that shot out of the two Balls.

"Here I come, Hillary," said Tristan.

"Bring it on!" replied Hillary eagerly.

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee as he raised his two flags in the air.

"Totodile, Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile shot a blast of water from its mouth at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, Water Gun, too!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle shot a blast of water to block Totodile's Water Gun.

Both attacks collided.

Totodile and Squirtle did everything in their power in an attempt to push the other's attack back. It was like playing a game of tug-of-war.

"Folks, we've got a really good battle going on here!" said the announcer excitedly. "Neither Squirtle nor Totodile are giving as much as an inch. It seems as if both Trainers are pushing their Pokémon and each other to battle at their very best!"

"Totodile, Bite attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile charged forward and proceeded to bite Squirtle with its teeth.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" instructed Hillary.

Squirtle shrunk its head and limbs inside its shell as its body glowed in a blue aura.

Totodile's Bite attack was stopped in its tracks.

"Good defense, sis," said Tristan.

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Hillary. "But don't think for a second that we're finished."

"Right back at you," agreed Tristan. "Totodile, use another Water Gun attack!"

Totodile shot another powerful blast of water from its mouth and sent Squirtle's shell skyward.

"Totodile's Water Gun scores a direct hit!" said the announcer.

"Don't give in, Squirtle!" encourage Hillary. "Battle back with your Skull Bash!"

Squirtle appeared out of the sky surrounded by a silver aura, scoring a huge direct hit on Totodile.

"Totodile!" cried Tristan.

"Yeah!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Whoa!" said the announcer. "Squirtle evens the score with Skull Bash!"

Totodile crash-landed on one of the floating platforms.

"Totodile, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Totodile managed to get back on its feet.

"Well, Tristan, I must admit, your Totodile's stronger than I thought," commended Hillary. "You certainly raised it well. It took on Squirtle's Skull Bash and is still ready to battle."

"Your Squirtle's pretty good, too, sis," replied Tristan. "I can see why Professor Oak handed it to you as your first Pokémon. Now, let's finish this battle."

"Okay!" said Hillary. "Squirtle, Water Gun!"

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra & Guitar (as heard in "Sick Daze")))_

Squirtle shot another powerful blast of water from its mouth straight toward Totodile.

"Totodile, Scratch attack!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile dodged Water Gun, lunged toward Squirtle and used its claws to scratch Squirtle.

"Squirtle and Totodile are battling hard!" said the announcer. "These two have their pride on the line."

"Now this is the way a Water Pokémon battle is supposed to be, Tristan!" said Hillary excitedly. "Now, Squirtle, Rapid Spin!"

Squirtle shrunk its head and limbs into its shell and spun faster and faster as it flew down toward Totodile.

"Totodile, Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile shot another blast of water from its mouth at the still-spinning Squirtle, stopping it from getting closer to it.

"Those two have been evenly matched right from the start," said the announcer. "It's anyone's guess who will come out on top."

"That Water Gun may have stopped us before, but not anymore!" said Hillary. "Let's do it, Squirtle! Give Totodile your Skull Bash!"

Squirtle's head and limbs appeared from its shell and it proceeded to fly down on Totodile as it surrounded itself in a silver aura once again.

"Totodile, just give it a little bit more, let's go!" shouted Tristan.

Totodile increased the velocity of its Water Gun in an attempt to stop Squirtle's Skull Bash from getting any closer.

"Squirtle, maximum power!" commanded Hillary.

Squirtle gave more and more until finally, it was able to push through Totodile's Water Gun to score a huge direct hit on it, sending it flying.

"Wow, look at that!" said the announcer. "Squirtle's Skull Bash scores a direct hit! Could this end the battle and the tournament?"

Tristan gasped in shock, and realized what that meant. But he soon gave a smile. _I guess that's it,_ he thought. _I'm ready to accept defeat and learn from it. And I know that Totodile did its best like it always does._

Sure enough, Totodile had a dazed expression in its eyes as it kept going higher and higher in the air. Then the force of gravity sent it lower and lower, faster and faster, until it hit the water with a tremendous splash.

When the water cleared, the referee saw that Totodile had been knocked out.

"Totodile is unable to battle...Squirtle is the tournament winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in Hillary's direction.

_(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

The crowd cheered and applauded loudly as Hillary gave a smile and Squirtle hopped over into Hillary's arms.

"Squirtle, that was a great battle!" commended Hillary. "You really came through."

Squirtle nodded happily as it hugged Hillary.

Tristan hopped over to his Totodile and held it in his arms. "You were great, too, Totodile. You gave it all you had out there. You deserve a good rest."

Totodile gave a weak, but happy nod as Tristan returned it to its Lure Ball.

"An impressive victory for Hillary and her Squirtle!" said the announcer. "Two Trainers as brother and sister put on a great show today. Let's give them and their Pokémon a big round of applause."

And the crowd did just that as Tristan and Hillary walked over to each other.

"Thanks for a great battle, Tristan," said Hillary. "You and Totodile made us work for it."

"I should thank you, Hillary," replied Tristan. "Totodile and I got stronger thanks to that battle, which was one I'll never forget."

And together, they shook hands as the crowd continued to cheer and applaud them.

* * *

The crowd gathered to see Hillary on the stage as the announcer made his closing remarks.

"Congratulations to Hillary from New Bark Town, who earns this collection of Water Stones for her first-place finish!"

The crowd cheered and applauded her as Tristan came to the stage to shake her hand.

"You certainly earned that victory, Hillary," smiled Tristan. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, big bro," replied Hillary. "I figured that no matter which of us won, there'd be no hard feelings, right?"

"Right," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi watched their Trainers shake hands with one another as the crowd gave them a big round of applause.

* * *

_And so, Hillary wins the Water Pokémon Tournament after a long, hard battle with Tristan while never once forgetting their undying friendship. Now it's on to Ecruteak City where Tristan hopes to earn his fourth Johto League badge. And this victory among many others is one that will get him one step closer to entering the Johto League._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	47. PURITY CANYON

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 47 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to base this chapter as a sequel to the special "Mewtwo Returns." Luna Carson had already forgotten about the incident on Mt. Quena, meaning that she probably forgot about meeting Ash and his friends as well. She does make an appearance in this chapter, though. Cullen Calix does not. And fortunately, neither does Domino (or Agent 009). Unfortunately, Taz does. Mewtwo will make a brief appearance in this chapter. The "Three on Three" track from the first Pokémon movie will make its appearance in this chapter. I don't know who composed it, so I'll give all the composers the credit: Manny Corallo, Deniz, Hughes, John Loeffler, and Ralph Schuckett. So, I hope you'll get a chance to read this chapter. Enjoy and leave responsible reviews.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends go through Purity Canyon, just as Tristan's egg is about to hatch. But when Taz steals the egg, it could put him, Tristan, and his friends in real danger!**

**Chapter 47: PURITY CANYON**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

_Our heroes continue on to Ecruteak City, site of Tristan's fourth Johto League Gym match, but today, they're passing through Purity Canyon, the Johto region's greatest natural wonder._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all took deep breaths and breathed in the fresh mountain air as they continued walking along the road.

"This air is the freshest I've ever experienced," said Hillary.

"Yeah, me, too," agreed Tristan. "I don't think I've ever breathed air that was this fresh before.

Even Pikachu and Togepi had to agree.

Presently, they saw dark clouds rapidly approaching from the distance.

"Uh-oh," said Tristan. "Looks like it's gonna rain."

"Not now," complained Hillary. "I was just getting to enjoy the nice weather."

Presently, they saw a lodge.

"Look! There's a place we can take shelter! Let's hurry before it starts raining!" suggested Tristan.

"Yeah!" agreed Hillary as they picked up speed and came to the front door.

Inside, a woman with turquoise hair wearing a yellow shirt heard a knock on her door. She was startled at first, but she came to the door and opened it. She saw Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi at the door just as the dark clouds enveloped the rest of the sky. "You two sure timed that out well," she said. "Please come in."

And Tristan and Hillary dashed inside before the woman closed the door.

An instant later, there was a flash of lightning and a loud crack of thunder. Soon after, it started raining hard.

"Boy, that was a close one," said Tristan. "We almost got wet."

"Wet? We almost got hit by that bolt of lightning," grumbled Hillary.

"The weather can be very unpredictable here in Purity Canyon," explained the woman. "My name's Luna Carson."

"Hi, I'm Tristan," said Tristan. "And this is my partner, Pikachu; my sister, Hillary; and her Pokémon, Togepi."

"Hi," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Luna warmly.

"It's nice to meet you all," replied Luna. "And it's a good thing you came in here before the weather messed up your plans even more."

"What do you mean 'more?'" asked Hillary.

"As you know, this place is always likely to have blizzards, thunderstorms, typhoons, and all kinds of bad weather," explained Luna. "The folks who miss the bus usually wait from a week to as long as a month before they can go through Purity Canyon."

"We can't stay here for that long," said Tristan. "Isn't there a way to get across Purity Canyon?"

"Well, there are a few ways to do it, but why don't you guys have a drink while we wait for the rain to stop?" suggested Luna. She got two glasses of water, and gave each of them to Tristan and Hillary. She even got two glasses for Pikachu and Togepi.

Tristan took the first sip. He was so happy about the taste that he downed his glass of water almost immediately. "This is the best water I've ever tasted!" he said.

"Really? Let me taste it." And Hillary took a sip from her glass, and was just as happy about the taste as Tristan was. "You're right, Tristan!"

Pikachu and Togepi took their sips, and they were just as happy.

"Well, that sure made you happy, didn't it?" smiled Luna. "The water that goes through Purity Canyon is incredibly clean and clear, so much so that it even rejuvenates even the most weakened Pokémon."

"That's awesome," said Tristan.

"So where does all that clean water come from?" asked Hillary.

"That clean water comes from Purity River," explained Luna. "It starts out on Clarity Lake, which is on the top of Mt. Quena. All that water flows through the river and passes through Purity Canyon."

"Have you been up to the top of Mt. Quena before?" asked Tristan.

"I've been to the top of Mt. Quena before," answered Luna. "However, the mountain face is very steep to scale, and extreme weather makes it even worse. It's been left undisturbed for generations. The resident Bug Pokémon live there because they're attracted to the purity of the water.

"No wonder the Pokémon love that water," said Hillary.

Presently, outside, the rain stopped, and the sun came out again.

"I'm glad that's over," said Tristan. "That rain always ruins our travel plans."

"There's a view of the waterfall out back," said Luna. "Why don't I show you?" And she led Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon to the back porch of the lodge.

Presently, a flock of flying Bug Pokemon were seen overhead.

"Look at all the Butterfree!" said Tristan.

Sure enough, there were scores of Butterfree flying over the lodge, and seem to be enjoying the now pleasant flight now that the thunderstorm was over.

"I'd sure like to see the place those Butterfree are headed," said Hillary.

"They're probably flying through Purity Canyon back to Mt. Quena, which is the highest mountain in the entire Johto region," replied Luna. "Some people say that the Butterfree lay their eggs there."

"That reminds me of my own Butterfree," said Tristan as he thought back to his early days of traveling around with it.

* * *

Tristan remembered the day when he first caught a Caterpie, then spent the night in the Viridian Forest with Hillary. Next, he remembered when his Caterpie had evolved into a Metapod, and then a Butterfree soon after. Then, he remembered the time when he and Butterfree battled Taz to save a whole flock of them. Finally, he remembered when his Butterfree flew away with its new mate.

* * *

"Someday, I'll see my old friend again," said Tristan.

"I could tell that you had a real bond with your Butterfree," said Luna as she put her hand on Tristan's shoulder. "Maybe you'll see it again someday."

"Luna's right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "It'll be back before you know it."

Pikachu and Togepi also agreed.

Tristan nodded. He missed his friend very much, and he knew that saying goodbye wasn't easy. But he knew that his Butterfree would come back to him as soon as its own journey was over. But suddenly, he noticed a light coming out of his backpack.

"What's up?" asked Hillary.

Tristan and Pikachu quickly rushed over to his backpack to see his egg glowing.

"That's the very egg Great-Grandma Rachael and Great-Grandpa Stuart gave you, isn't it?" said Hillary.

"Yes, it is," replied Tristan. "And now, this egg's about to hatch right before our very eyes."

"I'm sure that whatever Pokémon comes out of that egg will love the fresh air and clean water," suggested Luna. "Why don't we take a canoe ride down Purity River?"

* * *

_(Music Cue: Surf 1999-2001)_

That evening, as the sun was setting, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all followed Luna as they took a canoe and set sail down Purity River. Tristan carefully held on to his egg case as his egg continued to glow.

"What a beautiful night to go on a canoe ride!" remarked Tristan.

"The current's doing the work for us, and the water's so clean and clear," added Hillary.

Luna nodded in agreement.

"And it's just one of the many things the egg needs in order to hatch safely," added Tristan. Then he spoke to the egg. "Well, I hope you're enjoying this, because this is one of the many wonderful things this world has to offer when you hatch."

"I wonder what kind of Pokémon will hatch from that egg," said Hillary.

"I don't care what kind of Pokémon hatches, just so long as it's happy and healthy," replied Tristan.

"Now that's the kind of Trainer who has respect toward all Pokémon," smiled Luna.

Presently, there were lights on several trees ahead.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, that's a flock of Ledian," answered Luna. "They're attracted to the purity of the water here in Purity Canyon like other Bug Pokémon."

"Those Ledian sure make the trees more beautiful," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it reminds me of mine," said Hillary. "I remember the time we spent together before it decided to work in the apple orchard."

"That's two great adventurers remembering their Bug Pokémon friends in one day," smiled Luna. "I have no doubt that you'll see them again."

Next, they saw cocoon-like Pokémon hanging from more trees.

"Those must be Kakuna," said Tristan.

Luna nodded. "Like the Ledian, the Kakuna are attracted to the pure waters here in Purity Canyon, too. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some Beedrill around."

"You don't think they'll attack us, do you?" trembled Hillary.

"I wouldn't worry," Luna assured her. "The Beedrill won't attack us as long as we don't contaminate the water. They know we wouldn't intentionally pollute it.

Sure enough, some Beedrill flew by, but only observed them drifting downstream in the canoe.

"For Beedrill, I'd say they're pretty friendly," remarked Tristan. "Normally, I've seen wild Beedrill that act territorial."

"Now I can see why the Bug Pokémon like to call this place home," remarked Hillary. "I bet Brock would be pretty impressed about that."

"Who's Brock?" asked Luna.

"Brock's working to be the world's greatest Pokémon Breeder," explained Tristan. "He taught me some of the basics of cooking meals using a campfire."

"We met him in the Viridian Forest when we were just starting out on our journey together," added Hillary.

"I'm sure he would be very pleased to hear about this place," smiled Luna.

The sky got darker and darker as the sun sank lower in the sky, painting it in many colors.

"I guess we should think about heading back," said Tristan.

"Why don't you stay at the lodge tonight?" suggested Luna. "The fog's supposed to be really thick, and it won't clear until morning."

"Okay," agreed Tristan. "I can help cook something for dinner if you'd like."

"Yeah, Tristan always makes good food," added Hillary.

"Then it's decided," smiled Luna. "Let's paddle back to my place."

And together, they paddled the canoe back upstream back to Luna's lodge.

* * *

That night, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi had gotten into their sleeping bags and fell fast asleep.

Tristan's egg was in plain sight on the table.

Presently, a man with a beard quietly opened the door and crept in. It was Taz, and he was looking for something. He saw Tristan's egg and decided to steal it. "The birth of a new Pokémon is very sweet," he whispered to himself. "But revenge'll be even sweeter once I poach this egg." And he carefully took the case off the table, but not before Pikachu's sensitive ears pricked up.

Pikachu opened its eyes and saw Taz about to steal the egg. It nudged Tristan as it alerted him.

Tristan slowly opened his eyes and woke up. "What's the matter, Pikachu?" He then saw Taz grabbing the egg. "Hey, that's my egg!"

Hillary slowly woke up and heard Tristan shouting. "What's going on?" She gasped in shock as she saw Taz.

"Just great," grumbled Taz. "Sorry if I woke you up."

"Give back Tristan's egg at once!" demanded Hillary.

"No way!" replied Taz. "Finders keepers, losers weepers."

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

And he dashed out the door, got into his car, and sped away.

Luna woke up in time to see everything. "What happened?"

"Taz just broke in here and stole my egg!" replied Tristan.

"What?!" gasped Luna. She couldn't believe that someone would want to break into her lodge.

"He just left in his car!" added Hillary.

"Well, we have to get it back!" agreed Luna.

And they ran out of the lodge and went after Taz as fast as their legs could carry them. But as fast as they ran, they couldn't catch up to him. Soon, everyone had run out of breath.

"We'll never catch him like this," panted Hillary. "Now what'll we do?"

"There has to be some way to catch Taz," said Tristan. "I know!" He took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Heracross, I choose you!"

Heracross emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Good thinking, Tristan!" commended Hillary. "I'd forgotten that you caught that Heracross at that Bug Catching Contest."

"Thanks," replied Tristan. "All right, Heracross, go find Taz!"

And Heracross flew off after it.

"We should follow, too," suggested Luna.

And together they followed Heracross to find Taz.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Three on Three (as heard in the American version of "Pokémon: The First Movie" starting at 2:08))_

Meanwhile, Taz was still driving down the mountain road through Purity Canyon. He didn't know about its hazards; all he thought about was getting rich from selling Tristan's egg as he chuckled to himself. "All I have to do is sell this egg on the Poké Market, and I'll get my big reward." Little did he know that Heracross was also following him.

Heracross flew off to find Tristan as fast as its wings would carry it.

* * *

Not too far away, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Luna were all still following Taz's trail when suddenly, Heracross approached.

"Did you find him, Heracross?" asked Tristan.

Heracross nodded.

"All right, take us to him!" instructed Tristan.

Heracross nodded and led the way as Tristan and the others followed.

* * *

Back with Taz, the winds had started picking up, and his wheels were losing their grip.

Suddenly, one of the wheels had rolled off the edge of the mountain road, causing Taz to yell out.

Taz tried to reverse his car and get back on the road, but the strong winds wouldn't let him. His car teetered on the edge of falling off the cliff road. "Help me!" he cried. "Someone! Anyone! Get me outta here!"

Tristan and the others arrived on the mountain road in time to see everything and gasped in horror.

"Taz is in trouble!" cried Hillary.

"And there's my egg!" added Tristan.

Sure enough, the egg, still in its case, was dangling from the side of Taz's car.

"I have to get that egg back!" said Tristan.

"But the winds are too strong!" protested Luna.

But Tristan didn't listen. "That egg is my responsibility, and I won't allow anything bad to happen to it." He took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Chikorita, go!"

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Chikorita, we're gonna need your help," advised Tristan. "Use your Vine Whip to grab that car."

Chikorita nodded and extended two vines from the bud necklace. Then, using its vines, it grabbed the back of the car.

"Good job, Chikorita, now hold on tight and don't let go!" instructed Tristan.

Chikorita nodded as it pulled on the car.

Heracross flew over and grabbed on to Chikorita's vines to help, but even the combined effort was still not enough to overcome the car's weight and the strong winds.

"Someone get me outta here!" wailed Taz.

"Come on, let's help!" cried Hillary as she, Luna, Pikachu, and Tristan all ran over to assist the Pokémon.

Together, they pulled as hard as they could to try and get it back on the road.

But unfortunately at that moment, another powerful gust of wind came and blew the egg case off the car, sending it plummeting off the cliff.

"Oh, no! My egg!" gasped Tristan. Wasting no time, he jumped off the cliff road and dove after it.

"Tristan, no!" cried Hillary.

But another gust of wind, much stronger than the last, caused Hillary and Luna to cover their faces and the car to roll closer to falling off the edge of the cliff.

Taz was now crying out of fear that he wouldn't live to see another day.

"Okay, we need to pull as hard as we can and get the car back up here!" shouted Luna.

And together, Hillary, Luna, and the Pokémon pulled with all their might, and slowly, but surely, they managed to get Taz and his car back to safety.

"All right! They're safe!" panted Luna.

* * *

Back with Tristan, he managed to catch up to the falling egg case as he fell. He reached with all his might until at last, he grabbed on to it. He braced himself as the ground below began to reveal itself. But suddenly, he felt his fall slowing down until at last, he stopped. Then he felt himself being lifted higher and higher.

And then, who should come to Tristan's rescue but Mewtwo, who knew Purity Canyon like the back of its head. _Are you all right?_

"I am now," replied Tristan. "Now let's get back up there!"

Mewtwo nodded as he and Tristan flew higher and higher until at last, they reached the top of the cliff at a safe distance.

Hillary was greatly relieved to see him unhurt. "Oh, Tristan, thank goodness you're all right!"

"And my egg is, too, safe and sound," replied Tristan.

Taz crawled out of the car and groveled at Tristan's feet. "Oh thank youse for saving my life! I'll never do anything bad again as long as I live. Psych!" And he jumped off the ground and proceeded to grab Tristan's egg case.

But Tristan jumped back in time and avoided him.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself for doing something so reckless!" scolded Luna. "You should know that high winds are common along these mountain roads on Purity Canyon!"

"Yeah? So what?" retorted Taz. "I only wanted to steal the egg to get rich."

_(Music Cue: Opening M01B 1997-1998)_

"I think it's time we teach him a lesson for stealing my egg and putting himself in danger!" said Tristan. "Actually, let's make it three lessons! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu jumped up and unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at Taz, scoring a direct hit on him and zapping him.

"Good lesson," Taz moaned as he fell to the ground.

_Music Cue: Opening M01C 1997-1998)_

"That's a good lesson, now here's lesson number two! Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" shouted Hillary as she took out a Poké Ball and threw it.

Her Cyndaquil emerged from the white light that shot out of it, and it ignited the flame on its back and shot a powerful stream of fire on Taz, scorching him.

"Now, let's show him lesson number three and get rid of him, Chikorita!" commanded Tristan. "Use your Vine Whip attack on him!"

Chikorita extended its two vines from its bud necklace, wrapped them around Taz, spun him around and around, and threw him into the air, sending him blasting off into the night sky, screaming as he went.

DING!

* * *

"So Mewtwo was the Pokémon that saved you and your egg?" asked Luna as they conversed outside her lodge sometime later.

Tristan nodded. "It somehow knew this place...causing me to believe that this might've been its home at one point."

"How do you figure, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Well, as Mewtwo helped me back up, it seemed to be happy, not because I was all right, but because it was familiar with the twists and turns as well as the powerful wind gusts that keep coming here in Purity Canyon."

"That makes sense," replied Luna. "I know there was an incident that took place here some time ago, but I don't remember it now. Weird."

_(Music Cue: Route 26 (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Presently, the first rays of morning light came up over the horizon, and then, the sun came up.

"What a beautiful sunrise!" said Tristan.

"Sunrises in Purity Canyon are much more beautiful," remarked Luna.

Suddenly, the egg started to glow even more brightly.

"Look! The egg's about to hatch!" said Hillary.

Tristan took the case off, and laid it down.

Then suddenly, a shimmering tone was heard as the egg glowed its brightest yet and started to hatch. Seconds later, the egg changed shape and the light stopped, revealing a small, green reptilian Pokémon with rocky skin, and a blunt spike on the top of its forehead.

"It's a Larvitar!" said Tristan.

Larvitar saw Tristan and leaped into his arms.

"Welcome to the world, Larvitar," said Tristan. "You and I are gonna get along just fine."

"Lar, Lar, Lar!" smiled Larvitar.

"Larvitar's taken a liking to you already, Tristan," said Luna. "I know you'll raise it into a great Pokémon and a great friend."

"Thanks, Luna," replied Tristan. "We'll do our best together, right, Larvitar?"

Larvitar nodded happily as Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi proudly looked on.

* * *

A little while later, Luna was waving goodbye to Tristan and Hillary as they prepared to set off. "Bye, guys! Be safe on your journey! And take good care of that Larvitar!"

"We will! Thanks!" called Tristan as they waved back to Luna.

* * *

_After rescuing Tristan's egg from Taz, it hatches into a Larvitar, who's quickly warmed up to Tristan. Soon, our heroes will traverse out of Purity Canyon and head off to Ecruteak City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	48. THE WOBBUFFET VILLAGE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 48 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to put the Wobbuffet Festival Crashers into this chapter because one, they've caused trouble only twice, and two, they haven't been arrested yet. I figured that any rarely occurring criminal that has caused trouble and hasn't been arrested yet should be. You may have noticed that Taz turned from a dangerous Pokémon Hunter to one that serves as comedy relief at certain points of the story. That's why he hasn't been out of the story yet. Too bad he doesn't appear in this chapter, though. Anyway, feel free to read and leave responsible reviews when you have a chance.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary visit the Wobbuffet Village, where the spirit of Wobbuffet stands strong. However, that strong spirit may be in jeopardy when the Wobbuffet Festival Crashers attack the village...and the Wobbuffet!**

**Chapter 48: THE WOBBUFFET VILLAGE**

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

_Tristan and Hillary, along with their Pokémon friends continue on their journey to Ecruteak City, but today, they've stopped in a quaint little village for some rest and refreshment._

Tristan and Hillary were admiring the sights and sounds of a small village as they walked the next day.

Presently, Hillary noticed a sign. "I wonder what the sign says."

Tristan knelt down and read it. "Welcome Trainers. This is the Wobbuffet Village, so named because most people who live here own a Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet never attack first, reflecting its easygoing and happy nature. During the Wobbuffet Festival, battles are strictly prohibited inside the Wobbuffet Village."

"Didn't Jessie from Team Rocket own a Wobbuffet?" asked Hillary.

"How could I forget that?" replied Tristan. "That Wobbuffet's Counter attack was very strong, much stronger than I had originally thought when I first encountered it."

Hillary took out her Pokédex and looked up Wobbuffet's entry.

_"Wobbuffet, the Patient Pokémon. Wobbuffet like to live in dark areas so they can keep their pitch-black tails concealed."_

"I can see why the Pokédex called Wobbuffet the Patient Pokémon," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with him.

Presently, Togepi began to cry.

Hillary knew what that meant. "Uh-oh. Someone's hungry."

"Let's go get something to eat," suggested Tristan. "I'm kind of hungry myself."

"Good idea," agreed Hillary. "Sounds like someone has the right attitude for a meal."

Tristan gave a chuckle just as a woman came by.

The woman wore green shorts and a shirt that had a Wobbuffet face. "Aw, what a cute little Togepi. I assume you folks would like a little snack, right?"

"Togepi does," replied Hillary.

"As a matter of fact, we all would," agreed Tristan.

A Wobbuffet appeared right beside the woman. It had the same personality as she did.

"Come on, my house is just ahead," said the woman as she led Tristan and Hillary down the road.

* * *

They came to a little house and settled in.

"I'm Lulu, and I've been a big fan of Wobbuffet for many years," said the woman. "Almost everybody in the village has a Wobbuffet."

"I never knew Wobbuffet could be so popular here," remarked Tristan. "They make almost anyone feel good."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "They don't call it the Patient Pokémon for nothing. Even my patience is off the charts today."

Lulu handed Togepi a small sandwich to chow down on.

Togepi munched on the sandwich, and instantly cheered up.

"Togepi seems to like the food, Lulu," remarked Hillary.

"I'm glad to hear that," smiled Lulu as she put a plate of sandwiches on the table. "Well, dig in."

And Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu did just that, and were so pleased with the taste that they asked for seconds.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

Afterwards, Lulu escorted them through the Wobbuffet Village.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were surprised by scores of Wobbuffet hanging out with their Trainers.

"I've never seen so many Wobbuffet in one place," said Tristan.

"We all take pride in taking good care of our Wobbuffet," replied Lulu. "Each one has its own unique personality, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Look, there goes one now."

Sure enough, a Wobbuffet happily ran by, although it was half its normal size.

"Wow, a mini-Wobbuffet!" said Hillary. "That one's so cute!"

"And here comes Officer Jenny, and she also has a Wobbuffet," added Lulu.

Officer Jenny walked by and gave a friendly wave to Lulu. Her Wobbuffet was tough, just like her.

"I always thought Officer Jenny had Growlithe as a partner," said Tristan.

"This one decided to honor the tradition and have a Wobbuffet of her very own," replied Lulu. "Why don't you go play with the Wobbuffet? I'm sure they'll be happy to have visitors like you playing with them."

"Okay!" said Hillary. "Come on, guys, let's go!" And she happily ran towards the Wobbuffet.

"Hey, wait for me!" called Tristan as he and Pikachu followed Hillary and Togepi.

* * *

Meanwhile, a suspicious trio was watching from a cliff above the Wobbuffet Village.

"Those people may have made fools out of us twice," said one.

"But you know what they say: the third time's the charm," said another.

"Let's get to work," put in a third.

They sent out their Pokémon, who were all Fighting-types. They were a Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape.

"Let's show those Wobbuffet we mean business once and for all," said the first one.

"Yeah!" agreed the second and the third.

All three Fighting Pokémon agreed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were having fun playing with the Wobbuffet. They played on the swings with them. They happily raced with them. And then they just sat together.

Suddenly, Lulu showed up. "Someone just attacked a Wobbuffet!"

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

They rushed posthaste to a little boy and his injured Wobbuffet. The little boy was seen crying.

"What happened?" asked Lulu.

"I was playing on the swing when those people came and attacked my Wobbuffet," sniffled the boy.

His Wobbuffet gave a weak reply of agreement.

"This is terrible!" gasped Hillary.

"Who'd do such a thing?" fumed Tristan.

Suddenly, a man appeared. "Hey! Another Wobbuffet was just attacked!"

Everyone gasped in shock.

* * *

They dashed to another woman with her injured Wobbuffet.

"Those three came and attacked my Wobbuffet!" cried the woman. "I didn't see who those three were!"

Her Wobbuffet gave a weak reply.

"I'd better go find Officer Jenny," said Lulu. "I have a feeling I know who's behind this." And she ran off.

Presently, a little girl came by. "Another Wobbuffet was just attacked! It's my friend's Wobbuffet, and he was attacked from behind!"

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"This is bad," said Tristan. "We have to find whoever's doing this to the Wobbuffet before it's too late."

"Do you know where they are, miss?" asked Hillary.

"They're at the Wobbuffet Festival Symbol," answered the girl. "They've also been attacking the village just for the fun of it."

"Tristan, we have to hurry and get there before another Wobbuffet gets attacked," said Hillary.

"You're right, Hillary, let's go," agreed Tristan as he, Hillary, and their Pokémon rushed off to the Festival Symbol as fast as they could.

* * *

Sure enough, at the Festival Symbol, the Wobbuffet were being attacked one by one as the other Wobbuffet and their Trainers looked on in horror.

Tristan and Hillary arrived in time to see everything.

The three suspicious people gave a good cackle as the Wobbuffet trembled in fear.

"So you're the ones who've been attacking all the Wobbuffet here!" fumed Hillary.

"Yeah, you got a problem with it?" asked the first one.

"You bet we do!" replied Tristan. "Just look what you've done to the poor Wobbuffet! What have they ever done to you, huh?"

"They deserve it!" retorted the second one.

"Just who do you think you are, anyway?" demanded Hillary.

"I'm Tsuyoshi, and I train Hitmonlee!" said the first one.

"I'm Tetsuya, and I train Machoke!" put in the second one.

"And I'm Hisashi, and I train Primape!" finished the third one.

"We are the Wobbuffet Festival Crashers!" And together they did a pose.

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Just then, Lulu appeared on the scene. "I never thought you three would be back in town!"

"Well, well, look who it is," smirked Hisashi.

"The lady who beat us before," put in Tetsuya.

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. "You've seen them before?"

Lulu nodded as she began her story.

* * *

"Those three raise Fighting Pokémon and decided to build their strength by attacking the village instead of training them," explained Lulu. "They damaged a few houses and wound up at my place. I battled them using my Wobbuffet and had it use Counter and Mirror Coat to defeat them.

"They had been sent packing until recently, when they came to crash the Wobbuffet Festival again, but this time, they attacked all the Wobbuffet as revenge for their defeat.

Jessie used her Wobbuffet to send them packing again before she, James, and Meowth showed their true colors when they stole the food for the festival. I'm still very disappointed by that."

* * *

"So that's why those three came back again, not only to get revenge, but to attack everything and every Wobbuffet," said Tristan.

"Officer Jenny is on her way," said Lulu. "Please, you have to do something to stop them from hurting another Wobbuffet!"

"But what about the village?" asked Tristan.

"Won't it be damaged?" added Hillary.

"It's okay to battle now," added Lulu. "Battles are only forbidden during the Wobbuffet Festival. The festival doesn't occur again for another nine months. The village might suffer some damage, but we'll just rebuild it again. After all, the Wobbuffet are the ones who need your help."

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other. Then they gave a nod. "We'll do it, Lulu."

"Oh, thank you," smiled Lulu. "I'll go get Officer Jenny. You try and stall them until we get back."

Tristan and Hillary nodded as they turned to face the Wobbuffet Festival Crashers.

"All right, this is your last chance," warned Hillary. "Leave now, or you're gonna be sorry."

"Hillary's right," agreed Tristan. "Now apologize to the Wobbuffet and their Trainers for attacking their home."

"No," smirked Tsuyoshi. "We're just getting started. But if you want to defend the honor of a weak Pokémon, be our guests. Go, Hitmonlee!"

"Go, Machoke!" shouted Tetsuya.

"Go, Primeape!" yelled Hisashi.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "For Cryin' Out Loud"))_

Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape all charged into battle.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Friend Ball.

"Cyndaquil, Squirtle, I choose you!" cried Hillary as she threw her two Poké Balls.

Tristan's Chikorita as well as Hillary's Squirtle and Cyndaquil emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"It may be just us two, but it's three on three," said Tristan.

"Right," agreed Hillary. "They're not gonna outnumber us that easily."

"Hitmonlee, use your Rolling Kick attack!" commanded Tsuyoshi.

Hitmonlee charged toward Chikorita as it prepared to kick it.

"Chikorita, knock it off balance with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita shot two green vines from its bud necklace and successfully stopped Hitmonlee's Rolling Kick.

"Go, Machoke, Karate Chop attack!" yelled Tetsuya.

Machoke charged toward Squirtle using the side of its open hand to attack.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle shrunk into its shell as it glowed in a blue aura, preventing Machoke from giving as much damage to it.

"Primeape, Fury Swipes attack!" shouted Hisashi.

Primeape lunged for Cyndaquil using its fists to attack.

"Cyndaquil, Flame Wheel!" ordered Hillary.

Cyndaquil rolled into a ball, igniting itself in flames as it went, and scored a direct hit on Primeape.

"Those kids can't beat us if we attack them together!" said Hisashi as he, Tsuyoshi, and Tetsuya all held hands.

"Attack!" they cried.

Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape all charged for Tristan and Hillary as they braced themselves.

Suddenly, a loud whistle was heard blowing in the distance.

Tristan and Hillary turned to see Lulu arriving with Officer Jenny and their Wobbuffet.

"Oh, great, the cops!" grumbled Hisashi.

"That battle was a trap!" gasped Tetsuya and Tsuyoshi.

"What do you think you're doing attacking those defenseless Wobbuffet?" demanded Officer Jenny.

"Those Wobbuffet deserve it, lady!" retorted Hisashi. "And those kids are just getting in our way!"

"I'm placing all three of you under arrest for attacking the Wobbuffet Village and the Wobbuffet who live here," said Officer Jenny as she took out three pairs of handcuffs.

"We won't let you take us in, right, guys?" said Tsuyoshi.

Hisashi and Tetsuya agreed.

"Go get her!" ordered Tsuyoshi, Tetsuya, and Hisashi.

_(Music Cue: Radio Tower Takeover (as heard in "May's Egg-Cellent Adventure"))_

Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape turned around and prepared to attack Officer Jenny and her Wobbuffet.

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "Those three are about to attack Officer Jenny!"

"Officer Jenny, get out of the way!" shouted Tristan.

"It's all right," Lulu assured them. "I have a feeling Officer Jenny will be able to handle those three just like I have."

As Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape got closer and closer, Officer Jenny waited for just the right moment to issue her command. Then suddenly...

"Now!" she shouted.

Her Wobbuffet glowed in a red aura just as Hitmonlee, Machoke, and Primeape all attacked it.

"Look! Wobbuffet's using its Counter attack!" said Tristan.

The three Fighting Pokémon pushed as hard as they could, but it wasn't enough to beat Wobbuffet's Counter, for it pushed them all back, sending them sky-high with twice the power as they had unleashed on Wobbuffet. Seconds later, they appeared out of the sky and fell to the ground, much to Tsuyoshi, Tetsuya, and Hisashi's shock. They all had dazed expressions in their eyes, signifying that they had been knocked out.

"See? What did I tell you?" smiled Lulu.

"You were right," replied Hillary. "She had this under control all along."

"That Wobbuffet really is tough," agreed Tristan. "Not to mention strong."

_(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge! (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

The three Wobbuffet Festival Crashers bowed their heads in surrender as Officer Jenny put the handcuffs on their wrists.

* * *

That evening, a patrol wagon was seen carrying the arrested Wobbuffet Festival Crashers away as Tristan, Hillary, Lulu, and Officer Jenny proudly looked on.

"Thanks to you, we were able to capture the Wobbuffet Festival Crashers once and for all with a minimal amount of damage," said Officer Jenny.

"And you helped save all the Wobbuffet," added Lulu.

"Well, we didn't do all that much," replied Hillary.

"She's right," agreed Tristan.

"You helped stall them until we got to them," continued Officer Jenny.

"But what about the injured Wobbuffet?" asked Hillary.

"They'll all be just fine," replied Officer Jenny. "Your first aid kit really came in handy when it came to treating those Wobbuffet, who, by the way, suffered only minor injuries."

"That's a relief," smiled Tristan.

"So where are you off to next?" asked Lulu.

"We're on our way to Ecruteak City so that I can earn my fourth Johto League badge," answered Tristan. "But I'll certainly think about those Wobbuffet, too."

"And all the other Pokémon we've met so far," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan and Hillary had said goodbye to Officer Jenny, Lulu, and the residents of the Wobbuffet Village, including all the Wobbuffet.

"Playing with those Wobbuffet sure was fun, wasn't it, Tristan?" said Hillary.

"You said it, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "It just makes me wonder what we'll see next."

* * *

_After saving the Wobbuffet Village from the three Wobbuffet Festival Crashers, our heroes turn their attention back to the road, the road that will lead them to Ecruteak City and the Johto League!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	49. A VISIT FROM HO-OH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 49 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Ho-Oh from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. And so do Veronica, Eric, and Morty. I decided to base Eric's Abra from the event Abra from long ago when the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games first came out. Please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews when you can.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary arrive in Ecruteak City and learn about the legend of Ho-Oh and its servants: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. But their biggest surprise may be waiting for them at the top of the Tin Tower.**

**Chapter 49: A VISIT FROM HO-OH**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Poké-Spokesman"))_

_Our heroes have finally reached their next destination: Ecruteak City. But little do they know that a legendary Pokémon awaits their arrival._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all took their first steps into Ecruteak City.

"It sure is good to be back, isn't it, Hillary?" said Tristan.

"You bet," agreed Hillary. "Now we can explore the city in greater detail and we can see Morty again, not to mention you get another chance to win a new badge."

Presently, Tristan's Silver Wing began to glow.

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

"That's weird," said Tristan. "My Silver Wing's reacting to something."

"This could mean only one thing," said Hillary.

Presently, Mewtwo appeared in the sky. _Tristan, Hillary, it's good to see the two of you again._

"Look, it's Mewtwo!" said Tristan.

_I wish I could exchange pleasantries with you, but I came because you are about to meet another legendary Pokémon._

"What do you mean, Mewtwo?" asked Tristan.

_I wish I could explain and help you understand,_ replied Mewtwo. _But I'm afraid I have other matters to attend to. Best of luck. _And Mewtwo flew away.

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"What was that all about?" wondered Hillary.

"I don't know, but we'd better find out," replied Tristan. "Let's go see Morty at the Ecruteak Gym." And they and their Pokémon friends rushed posthaste to the Ecruteak Gym to find Morty.

* * *

They arrived at the Gym a few moments later just as dark clouds started to cover the sky.

"Well, this is it," said Hillary. "I remember Grandma and Grandpa took us here to learn about the legend of Ho-Oh."

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "And we also learned about Raikou, Entei, and Suicune."

"Let's see Morty," suggested Hillary. "Maybe he can tell us what's going on. And why are there dark clouds in the sky? The weather said it would be sunny today."

Sure enough, the dark clouds were coming in, and had covered up the sky even more.

"Maybe a storm's coming," replied Tristan. "Let's get inside and see Morty." And he opened the door of the Gym.

But instead of seeing Morty, an old sage was seen blocking the entrance to the Gym.

"Hey, you're not Morty!" said Hillary.

"Nope, I'm not," replied the sage.

"Is Morty here?" asked Tristan.

"Morty, the Gym Leader, is absent," replied the sage. "Sorry, but you'll have to leave. Hohohoho!" And he smugly shoved Tristan into Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi, and slammed the door.

Tristan and Hillary winced in pain, but soon became most annoyed.

"The nerve of that guy!" fumed Hillary. "Shoving us out of the Gym like that. That's just mean! Does he realize who he's dealing with?"

"I'd say not!" agreed Tristan. "Come on, let's go find Morty, and then we'll get some answers!"

And they ran off.

* * *

A few moments later, they came to an old run-down burnt tower in the distance.

"What is this place?" asked Hillary.

Tristan gasped in shock. "Wait! I know this building!"

"You do? How's that?"

"This must be the Burned Tower, the place where the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh used to roost!"

"Just like in the presentation Morty showed us, right?"

"Exactly," said Tristan. "Maybe we can find some answers in there."

And he and Hillary cautiously made their way to the Burned Tower.

The interior of the tower was just as run-down as the exterior was.

"I don't know if this is a safe place to take shelter," said Hillary nervously.

"You're right," agreed Tristan. "Something doesn't feel quite right in here. It's as if someone's watching us."

"But who?" asked Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Enter Mewtwo)_

Presently, flames could be seen erupting from the support beams.

"Look, it's a fire!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Come on, we'd better get outta here!" said Hillary as she, Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi made a beeline for the exit.

But no matter which way they turned, more flames blocked their path. Soon, they found themselves trapped as the flames surrounded them.

"There's no place left to run," said Hillary. "Now what?"

"We'll just use our Water Pokémon to put out that fire," replied Tristan as he took out his Lure Ball. "Totodile, I choose you!"

"Squirtle, you go, too!" shouted Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball.

Both Poké Balls opened and Totodile and Squirtle emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Use Water Gun!" commanded Tristan and Hillary together.

Both Pokémon shot powerful blasts of water from their mouths at the flames, but their efforts proved to be futile as the flames didn't get any smaller.

"Their Water Gun attacks aren't working!" gasped Hillary. "But how? Hey, Tristan, let's have our Pokémon get closer to the fire."

"All right, guys, you heard what Hillary said!" commanded Tristan.

And both Pokémon got closer to the flames and shot their Water Gun attacks directly at them. But as close as they got, their efforts didn't get any better.

It was then that Tristan carefully inched his way to the flames.

"Tristan, please be careful!" cried Hillary.

Tristan felt for the flames and waited for them to burn him, but as his hand touched them, he didn't feel any heat. "That's weird."

"What is?" asked Hillary.

"This fire isn't hot at all," answered Tristan.

Hillary inched closer to the flames, and soon she discovered that the flames didn't burn her either. "This fire isn't even warm!"

"Could this be some illusion?" asked Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Hour of the Houndour"))_

Presently, a primarily yellow bipedal Pokémon with closed eyes and a tail showed up out of nowhere, floating in midair.

An elderly man and woman appeared with it.

Tristan and Hillary recognized who they were.

"Hey, look, it's an Abra!" gasped Tristan.

"And Grandma and Grandpa are right next to it!" added Hillary.

Sure enough, Veronica and Eric, Tristan and Hillary's grandparents had come to their rescue.

"Abra, use your Foresight," instructed Eric.

Abra opened its eyes, which glowed red, and shot a beam of light at the fire.

Sure enough, the flames disappeared, and soon, dark purple spherical Pokémon covered in poisonous gas made their appearance.

"Those are Gastly!" gasped Tristan.

"So they're the ones who created the fiery illusion," said Hillary.

"Now's your chance, kids," said Eric. "Use your Pokémon to stop them."

"Right," agreed Tristan and Hillary.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Friend Ball.

Chikorita emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Okay, Squirtle, let's get in there!" said Hillary.

Squirtle nodded and charged into battle.

The Gastly kept appearing and disappearing in and out of thin air.

"We can't let those Pokémon confuse us, Chikorita," warned Tristan. "Use your Tackle attack!"

Chikorita charged full-body style toward the Gastly, and one by one, they got tackled.

Just then, the Gastly shot crimson beams from its eyes.

"Now they're using Night Shade!" cried Hillary.

"Chikorita, use your Tackle attack again!" ordered Tristan.

"Squirtle, team up with Chikorita and attack!" commanded Hillary.

Chikorita and Squirtle both charged full-body style toward the Gastly and scored direct hits on them one by one.

"Now, Chikorita, finish 'em off with Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

"Squirtle, help Chikorita with your Water Gun!" commanded Hillary.

Chikorita shot multiple razor-sharp leaves at the Gastly while Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth.

Sure enough, both attacks scored clean hits

The Gastly seemingly had enough, so they fled through the walls and disappeared.

Eric came over to them. "Are you guys all right?" asked Eric.

"We're fine, Grandpa, thanks," replied Hillary.

"But why did you come here in the first place?" asked Tristan.

"Morty called us on our Poké Gear because he'd seen you arrive in the city," explained Veronica. "And he had a feeling that you'd come into the Burned Tower looking for him. So your grandfather had Abra Teleport us here so that we can help you."

"How did your Abra learn how to use Foresight?" asked Hillary.

"Your great-grandparents had Pokémon that had unusual moves," explained Eric. "And this Abra knew how to use Foresight when it hatched," explained Eric.

"That's awesome," said Tristan.

Presently, more Gastly and some purple round Pokémon with disembodied hands made their appearance.

"Those are Haunter!" gasped Hillary.

"They just got reinforcements," grunted Tristan. "Let's get 'em, Chikorita!"

Chikorita was about to charge in when suddenly...

"Hold on."

Tristan, Hillary, Veronica, and Eric all turned around and saw a familiar-looking figure emerge from one of the doorways and came down the stairs.

The figure came into the light.

Tristan knew who it was. "That's Morty!"

Morty snapped his fingers, and instantly, all the Gastly and Haunter disappeared.

"That's awesome!" gasped Hillary. "Morty can control Ghost Pokémon!"

"Please understand, these Pokémon aren't here to harm you," explained Morty. "They were just defending their home."

"We didn't know that," said Tristan. "I guess we trespassed, huh?"

Morty then saw Tristan and Hillary and came to them. "It's good to see the two of you again. How have you been?"

"Great," answered Tristan and Hillary.

"Thanks for helping them, Morty," smiled Eric.

"No problem, Eric," replied Morty. "I figured they'd arrive in Ecruteak City sooner or later. So did you enjoy your vacation in the Whirl Islands?"

"We did," answered Veronica. "Our grandchildren certainly had a blast."

"Well, it sounds like they had a fun time exploring new things," smiled Morty. Then he looked at Tristan's Silver Wing hanging around his neck as it glistened in the light. He gasped in shock. "Is that the legendary Silver Wing?"

"It is, but why do you ask?" replied Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Mystical Story (as heard the second time in "A Bout with Sprout"))_

"Well, a lot of people say that having a Silver Wing allows you to encounter the legendary Pokémon, Lugia," explained Morty. "But special Silver Wings give its holder extra-special powers, and are very hard to come by."

"What do you mean, Morty?" asked Hillary.

"What I mean is, those special Silver Wings are only given to a select few, those who actually befriend a Lugia from the moment it's born."

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock. But they weren't as surprised as Veronica and Eric were.

"That's quite extraordinary, dear," remarked Veronica. "That Lugia that you helped must've liked you so much that it gave you that very item hanging around your neck, right?"

Tristan nodded. "Lugia and I have become really good buddies. We play when we want to get together."

Pikachu agreed.

"I can't really explain this," continued Tristan, "but when I was on Ogi Isle in the Whirl Islands, I kept getting drawn towards it for some reason. Maybe it was because how beautiful Lugia looks or maybe it was just calling out to me. Either way, Lugia and I really enjoy each other's company."

"That is extraordinary," said Morty. "But if you don't mind, I'd like to show you something." And he led Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents to a wooden carving of a legendary Pokémon hanging on the wall.

"Is that the legendary Ho-Oh?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, it is," answered Morty. "This is the very same Ho-Oh that visited those guarding the tower many centuries ago. Then, as you know, invaders sought to use the Ho-Oh's power for evil purposes, causing a fire in this tower. Then, after seeing three nameless Pokémon unable to escape the flames, it gave brand new lives to them, and were given names. Raikou, the reincarnation of thunder; Entei, the reincarnation of the volcano; and Suicune, the reincarnation of the north wind and the rains that put out the fire. The Ho-Oh sent those three to observe humans from the ground. And then it fled, never to be seen again."

"I feel so bad for it," said Hillary sadly.

"If only there was a way to let it know how we feel about Pokémon," added Tristan. "I just wish I could tell it that we love Pokémon."

Pikachu and Togepi nodded sadly in agreement.

"I'm sure Ho-Oh and those three will know how you feel about Pokémon in time," Veronica assured him.

"Your grandmother's right, Tristan," said Morty. "I remember when Ash told me that he saw Ho-Oh when he began his Pokémon journey, and you saw it near Fuschia City when you saved that wild Articuno. I'm sure it will come and visit you soon."

Tristan nodded. "Thanks, guys. I feel a lot better now."

Presently, they heard a weird noise coming from the Bell Tower.

"What's that?" asked Tristan.

"It's the bells," replied Morty. "Their ringing is coming from the other tower."

"Come on, kids, let's go check it out," advised Veronica.

Tristan and Hillary nodded in agreement.

* * *

Just as they exited the tower, lightning bolts came from the sky as rain began to fall.

"Oh, great, it's raining," groaned Tristan.

"Never mind that, we have to investigate what's going on at the Tin Tower," reminded Hillary.

And they kept on running towards the Tin Tower.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Inside, there were 32 metal bells, four of them on each of the first eight floors, and four crystal bells on the ninth floor, one of which had been repaired recently.

Tristan and the others came inside to hear the bells ringing loudly.

"Why are all the bells ringing?" asked Tristan.

"These bells only ring when Ho-Oh is coming," explained Morty. "They never ring in the fiercest of winds, and have been silent until recently when Team Rocket stole the crystal bells. They've since been recovered, but those four bells only ring to announce the arrival of Ho-Oh."

"Do you think we'll hear them ring?" asked Hillary.

"There's only one way to find out," said Veronica "We have to keep climbing."

And so they did.

They advanced through every floor until they came to the eighth floor.

"Look, here, too!" gasped Morty.

"This is the eighth floor, right?" asked Hillary. "That means the ninth floor must have the crystal bells."

"And they announce Ho-Oh's arrival," added Tristan.

"Well, there's only one way to find out for sure," said Morty. "We have to go up to the ninth floor."

And they kept on climbing, and came to the ninth floor a few minutes later, but when they got there, they heard no ringing from the crystal bells.

"I guess Ho-Oh isn't coming," said Hillary.

"Let's not lose hope yet," said Morty. "Just because these bells aren't ringing yet doesn't mean that Ho-Oh isn't coming."

"Morty's right," agreed Veronica. "I'm sure that these bells will ring in just a moment."

As the 32 metal bells on the floors below them continued to ring, everyone waited and waited.

Suddenly, the four crystal bells began to ring.

Everyone gasped in shock.

Then, suddenly, Tristan's Silver Wing began to glow again.

"Look, my Silver Wing!" gasped Tristan.

"That's an indication that a legendary Pokémon is coming here right now!" added Hillary.

"That has to be Ho-Oh!" put in Morty.

_(Music Cue: Molly's Theme - Beautiful City (Japanese version as heard in "The Emperor of the Crystal Tower - Entei"))_

Then just as suddenly, the rain stopped and the skies cleared up. Then a rainbow appeared in the sky.

"What a beautiful rainbow!" said Tristan.

"I've never seen a rainbow this close before!" added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi gasped in wonder as they looked at the rainbow.

Veronica and Eric proudly wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders.

"This is wonderful," said Veronica.

"Yes," agreed Eric. "Almost as wonderful as every day with you and the grandchildren, Veronica."

Presently, an avian Pokémon resembling a phoenix and a peacock came into view in the sky. Its feathers were gold and red with yellow tail feathers and green feathers at the tips of its wings, and it had a green stripe around its neck.

"Look at that!" gasped Tristan.

Morty looked on as the Pokémon flew closer and closer. "That's Ho-Oh! It's coming here at last!"

Morty was right, for it came closer and closer to the tower. Sure enough, as it descended, it looked considerably larger than Tristan and his friends.

Ho-Oh slowly flew lower and lower to the perch as it flapped its wings to ease its descent. Then as it landed, it folded its wings and lowered its head towards Tristan and his friends.

"Ho-Oh," whispered Tristan.

He and Pikachu couldn't believe that Ho-Oh was looking right at them with its own eyes.

"It's so beautiful," added Hillary.

_My friends, thank you for that nice welcome._

Everyone gasped in shock as they heard that calm, feminine voice.

"Is that...?" began Tristan.

"It's Ho-Oh's telepathy," put in Morty.

_This is certainly a good place, _continued Ho-Oh. _But sadly, I cannot stay for long._

"But why not?" asked Hillary.

_I'm afraid that this world is still full of humans who want to use Pokémon for their selfish purposes, _answered Ho-Oh. _That makes me sad and angry, just like the time when humans tried to steal my power._

Tristan walked closer to Ho-Oh and said, "Ho-Oh, we know that there are humans who are bad, but we aren't like them at all. We all love Pokémon. That's why we're learning to understand one another to live and work together in cooperation and harmony. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika, Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Tristan's right, Ho-Oh," agreed Hillary. "We know that Pokémon should be our friends, not just tools for our selfish desires."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Ho-Oh nodded. _I realize that. That's why I came here for a short visit with you. I saw you save that wild Articuno some time ago, and I know you are one of the many good people I see as I fly through the world's skies, searching for people with pure hearts._

Tristan, Hillary, their grandparents, and Morty looked on as Ho-Oh spoke.

_I must go now, but before I do, I want to give you both something. _And Ho-Oh spread its wings as two glowing objects came from them and gently landed in Tristan and Hillary's hands.

One had the same color scheme as Ho-Oh, but the other one was orange, red, gold, and silver.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in wonder as they looked at them.

_This is your test, _explained Ho-Oh. _You must hatch these special eggs safely in order to pass. Do that, and you'll be able to befriend the Pokémon that hatch. I know you'll succeed._

Tristan and Hillary understood their new task and nodded.

_Farewell, my friends, _said Ho-Oh as it spread its wings and ascended into the sky. _We shall meet again. _Ho-Oh flew off into the sky, leaving a rainbow behind.

Tristan, Hillary, their grandparents, and Morty looked on at the rainbow as Ho-Oh disappeared into the distance.

* * *

"Well, that was unexpected," said Eric as he and the others exited the Tin Tower.

"Yeah, seeing the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh was awesome," added Tristan.

"And it gave us both an egg to take care of," put in Hillary.

"Ho-Oh must have realized that you two, like many of us, were pure of heart, and decided to give you those eggs to test you," said Morty. "That's a big honor from a legendary Pokémon."

Veronica and Eric turned to Tristan and Hillary. "Maybe we can stay and watch your Gym battle," suggested Veronica. "Your grandfather and I would love to see how our grandson fares against a good friend of ours."

"Why don't we have our Gym match tomorrow?" suggested Morty. "I have a feeling today's events have made us exhausted and excited at the same time."

"That's a good idea," replied Tristan.

Presently, Abra emerged from the white light that shot out of Eric's Poké Ball and teleported over to Tristan's shoulder, startling him.

"It looks like Abra wants to help you win that fourth Gym badge, grand-sonny," smiled Eric.

Tristan was surprised, but asked, "Is that true, Abra? Do you want to help me beat Morty?"

Abra nodded.

"All right, together we'll win that badge!" said Tristan.

Pikachu agreed excitedly. It couldn't wait to battle with Tristan in his fourth Johto League Gym match.

"Well, Tristan, we'd better rest up," suggested Hillary. "We have a big day ahead tomorrow, and you'll want to be rested for it for your Gym battle."

Tristan nodded in agreement.

* * *

_After encountering the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh, Tristan and Hillary both have received eggs as a test to see if they can be hatched safely. Meanwhile, Tristan is thinking long and hard about the strategy to use in tomorrow's Gym match against Morty, as his grandfather's Abra eagerly decides to help him. But will it be enough to earn him a badge? Stay tuned to find out!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	50. HERE GHOST NOTHING

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings readers! Here is chapter 50 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews.**

**TEASER: Tristan's grandfather loans him Abra for his Gym battle against Morty in the hopes of earning his fourth badge. But will Abra have enough strength to defeat Gengar, Morty's most powerful Pokémon or will it be too spooked to win?**

**Chapter 50: HERE GHOST NOTHING**

_(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

_Last time, Tristan and Hillary ran into Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader. They learned more about the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh from him as well as the role the legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune played in their reincarnation._

_Then, they heard the bells ringing from the Bell Tower, so they ran to it as fast as they could. _

_So when the crystal bells rang and Tristan's Silver Wing glowed, the legendary Ho-Oh descended and landed at the top of the Tin Tower for the first time in three centuries. _

_Ho-Oh understood Tristan and Hillary's feelings for Pokémon, and presented them each with an egg as a test to see if they could be hatched safely._

_Now, after being given the egg, Tristan has another task at hand as he prepares to battle Morty for his fourth Johto League Gym badge._

* * *

Tristan was conversing with Professor Oak on the video phone the next morning.

"Ghost Pokémon can be very tricky, but they're not impossible to defeat," said Professor Oak. "They can become invisible, but if you use Foresight on them, they lose their immunity to Normal and Fighting-type attacks."

"Grandpa's Abra wanted to help me win," replied Tristan. "So it decided to spend the night with me in the Pokémon Center so we could train."

"Well well, your grandfather's a very kind person," said Professor Oak. "However, don't forget that you already have six Pokémon. So you'll have to send one to me in order to use Abra."

"Which Pokémon should I send, Professor?" asked Tristan.

"As I recall, you recently hatched a Larvitar at Purity Canyon after your great-grandmother gave it to you in Goldenrod City," replied Professor Oak. "Most of the Larvitar I've seen in the Johto region come from Mount Silver, so I'd like to do some research on Larvitar while you have your Gym battle."

"Sounds good to me, Professor," said Tristan. He took out Larvitar's Poké Ball and put it on the transporter. "Larvitar, I'll see you later, buddy. Be good for Professor Oak, okay?" And he pushed the button.

Larvitar's Poké Ball glowed, and then it disappeared through the transporter.

Seconds later, Professor Oak received it. "Your Larvitar arrived here safe and sound. I'm sure it'll be very happy here during its visit. Good luck with your Gym match."

"Thanks, Professor Oak," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

The video transmission ended.

* * *

Meanwhile in his laboratory in Pallet Town, Professor Oak was getting ready to send Larvitar out. "I know you're going to have fun here. Come out, come out!"

_(Music Cue: No Way, No How!)_

Larvitar's Poké Ball opened and Larvitar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Larvitar was confused and frantically looked around for Tristan, but he wasn't there.

"Hello, Larvitar," smiled Professor Oak.

Larvitar whimpered. It wasn't used to seeing anyone else other than its Trainer.

"It's okay, Larvitar," said Professor Oak nervously. "Don't be scared."

But Larvitar continued to whimper until...

_(Music cut)_

"LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"

"What is that?!" bellowed Professor Oak.

Larvitar's screeching was so loud that it could be heard for miles around.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Sneaking from the Shadows)_

Back at the Pokémon Center in Ecruteak City, Tristan let out a big sigh.

Pikachu looked at Tristan with concern. "Pikachu?"

"Hey, Tristan!" said Hillary as she, Togepi, Veronica, and Eric all made their way over to the lobby.

"What's up, Hillary? How are you doing, guys?"

"You seem a little tense, dear," said Veronica. "What's the matter?"

"Well, I've had lots of Gym battles before, but not against Ghost Pokémon," said Tristan. "But Professor Oak did give me some good advice on how to beat them." He bent his face down low. "I just hope Larvitar's doing okay at Professor Oak's laboratory."

"I wouldn't worry, grand-sonny," said Eric. "Larvitar will be just fine. It may have hatched just recently, but I'm sure Professor Oak can take care of it during your Gym match."

"Thanks, Grandpa," replied Tristan. "And thank you for letting me use your Abra."

"Abra may be a Psychic-type and it may be vulnerable to Ghost-type attacks," said Veronica. "However, most of the Ghost Pokémon's Poison-type characteristics make them vulnerable to Abra's Psychic attacks. Plus, this Abra can use Foresight, as you've seen before. That may be your ticket to victory."

"I hope so, Grandma," said Tristan. "I hope so." And he held Abra's Poké Ball close to him.

* * *

At the Gym, Morty was teaching his students about the strengths and weaknesses of Ghost-type Pokémon.

Presently, Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents arrived.

"Good morning, Morty," said Tristan.

"Ah, good morning, Tristan," replied Morty. "I've been expecting you...you and your family that is. Hey, Tristan, would it be all right if my students watched our match?"

"Sure that's fine with me, Morty," smiled Tristan.

"This'll be exciting," said Veronica to Eric. "I'm not sure who to root for."

"Morty is a good friend of ours, dear, but Tristan is our grandson, after all," reminded Eric. "We'll just root for the both of them."

"That's a good plan," smiled Hillary.

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan and Morty took their position on opposite sides of the battlefield.

A battle judge came to officiate the match. "Attention, Trainers. This official Ecruteak Gym match between Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader, and the challenger, Tristan, from New Bark Town is about to begin. Each side is allowed to use three Pokémon. The Gym Leader will choose his first Pokémon and start the battle, and the challenger will follow. During the match, the challenger will be allowed to make substitutions; the Gym Leader will not."

"That's a good handicap," remarked Veronica. "That might give Tristan an edge."

"Yes, but keep in mind, dear, that Morty's got a lot of experience with Ghost Pokémon," reminded Eric. "We'll have to see what Tristan's strategy is."

"This battle will really put his abilities to the test," said Hillary.

"I choose Gastly!" shouted Morty as he threw his first Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis"))_

A purple spherical Pokémon covered in gas emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So he's beginning with Gastly," said Tristan. "Yeah, I know who I'm gonna choose. Abra, let's go!" He threw his first Poké Ball.

Abra emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Why's he starting with Abra now?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe he's learned a few of Abra's tricks while training overnight," replied Eric. "If he learned that quickly about Abra's abilities yesterday, then there's a good chance he'll defeat Morty."

"Let the battle begin!" said the judge.

"Disappear, Gastly!" commanded Morty.

Gastly disappeared into thin air.

"Hey, where'd Gastly go?" asked Hillary. "I can't see it anywhere."

"I'm sure that this is all part of Morty's strategy," said Veronica.

"Just because you have good Pokémon, Tristan, doesn't mean that we'll go easy on you," warned Morty. "Gastly, use your Lick attack!"

"Don't let it fool you, Abra," said Tristan. "Use your Foresight!"

Abra opened its eyes and they glowed red, then it shot a red beam of light from them. Sure enough, it was able to identify Gastly before it could launch a sneak attack.

"There it is," said Veronica.

"Now it can't hide from any attack Tristan throws its way!" said Hillary.

"Abra, return now!" commanded Tristan as he took out Abra's Poké Ball.

A red beam shot from the Poké Ball's button, transforming Abra into red energy, which shot back inside the ball.

"All right, Pikachu, let's go!" said Tristan.

Pikachu eagerly charged into battle.

"Gastly, use your Night Shade!" ordered Morty.

Crimson beams of energy shot out from Gastly's eyes straight toward Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu zigzagged to dodge Gastly's Night Shade. Then it streaked directly towards Gastly with a white line trailing behind it.

"Dodge it, Gastly!" shouted Morty.

Gastly flew to the left to avoid Pikachu's Quick Attack just as it got within striking distance.

"Stay on it, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu easily changed direction and scored a direct hit on Gastly, sending it plummeting to the ground.

"Gastly!" cried Morty.

Gastly collapsed with a dazed expression on its face. It had been knocked out.

"Gastly is unable to battle...Pikachu wins the round," said the referee.

"Excellent, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

Pikachu raised its arms and did a victory pose.

"I see," said Hillary. "Abra used Foresight to prevent Gastly from disappearing and launching a surprise attack. So rather than use Abra to attack now, he decided to save it for later if he has to."

"That's a pretty good strategy," remarked Veronica.

"As usual, Tristan's thinking one step ahead," added Eric. "Of course, I wouldn't expect any less from our grandson, right, dear?"

"Right," agreed Veronica.

"Well done, Tristan," commended Morty as he returned Gastly to its Poké Ball. "You've raised your Pikachu and Abra exceptionally well. But we're just getting started. I choose you, Haunter!" He threw his second Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (as heard in "Trouble's Brewing"))_

Morty's Haunter emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Are you okay to keep going, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded determinedly.

"All right, then I'm keeping you in!" said Tristan.

"I don't think I've seen Tristan and Pikachu this confident before," remarked Hillary.

"With everything they've learned on their journey so far," replied Veronica, "there's a good chance they'll get that fourth badge."

"Yes, dear, but don't forget that Morty still has two Pokémon to work with," said Eric, "and you can be pretty sure that his third and final choice will be one of his strongest contenders."

"Haunter, Mean Look!" instructed Morty.

Haunter's eyes glowed purple, and the corresponding glow enveloped Pikachu.

"What's Mean Look?" asked Hillary.

"Not good," replied Veronica. "Mean Look forces your opponent to stay in the battle. Tristan can't switch Pikachu out with another Pokémon until either it or Haunter is defeated."

"No fair," grumbled Hillary. "The challenger's allowed to switch his Pokémon. Why did this attack have to exist anyway?"

"Mean Look is an official Pokémon attack, Hillary," explained Veronica. "This is the kind of thing that'll put Tristan's abilities to the test. Before a Trainer can earn a Gym Badge, a Gym Leader does his job, and that job is to test how the challengers react to surprises like this."

"Whoa," said Hillary. "That's a lot of pressure on Tristan. Now that he and Pikachu can't switch out, who knows what they're in for."

"We won't let Mean Look stop us," said Tristan. "Use your Thunderbolt attack, Pikachu!"

Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at Haunter, but Haunter nimbly dodged the attack.

"Just because a Thunderbolt attack can work on a Ghost-type doesn't mean that it will work," said Morty. "Haunter, use your hands to grab Pikachu!"

Haunter's hands reached for Pikachu as it frantically tried to dodge them.

_Quick Attack won't do us any good if we attack it directly, _thought Tristan. _But that doesn't mean we can't use it to defend. _"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack to dodge it!" he ordered aloud.

Pikachu streaked away from the grasp of Haunter's hands as a white line trailed behind it.

"Not bad, Tristan," smiled Morty. "Using Quick Attack to dodge instead of attacking is a good way to deal with Ghost Pokémon. But no one wins a battle on defense alone. Haunter, now!"

Quickly, Haunter's hands reached out and grabbed Pikachu from behind.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" shouted Tristan.

"Haunter, Lick attack!" ordered Morty.

Haunter used its tongue to lick Pikachu before it could launch a Thunderbolt attack.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "Pikachu's in real trouble."

"You can toss it down now, Haunter," instructed Morty.

Haunter, still holding a dazed Pikachu in its hands, spun it around and around, and sent it careening into the ground, causing a cloud of dust to form.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

When the dust cleared, Pikachu, still having a dazed expression in its eyes had been knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle...Haunter wins the round," declared the judge.

"Oh, Pikachu lost," said Hillary sadly.

"That Mean Look attack was a major factor in its defeat," added Veronica.

Tristan quickly rushed over to Pikachu and held it in his arms. "How are you feeling, Pikachu?"

Pikachu gave a weak reply.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Imitation Confrontation"))_

"You did a great job," said Tristan as he gently placed it on the ground next to him. "You just take it easy for a while." He turned to Morty. "This isn't over yet. We've worked hard to get here, and we didn't come to lose." He took out his Lure Ball and threw it. "Totodile, I choose you!"

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Interesting choice," remarked Eric.

"I'll say," agreed Hillary. "But why'd he choose Totodile? Tristan should know that Water attacks would do the same amount of damage an Electric attack would do."

"That is, unless he has another trick up his sleeve," said Veronica.

"But what kind?" asked Hillary.

"We'll just have to see," replied Veronica.

"Totodile, Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile leaped up and shot a blast of water at Haunter, giving it a good soak.

"All right, that hit the mark!" said Hillary excitedly.

"A good way to start it off," remarked Eric.

"Haunter, use your Mean Look attack!" instructed Morty.

Haunter's eyes glowed purple, and the corresponding glow enveloped Totodile in the same way it did to Pikachu.

"Now your Totodile's stuck in battle, too," smiled Morty. "Haunter, Confuse Ray!"

Haunter's eyes glowed brightly in an attempt to confuse Totodile.

"Don't look at it, Totodile!" shouted Tristan. "Blast it with another Water Gun!"

Totodile shot another powerful blast of water at Haunter, scoring a direct hit on it and stopping Haunter's Confuse Ray.

"Now that was an excellent move," remarked Veronica. "Totodile's Water Gun cancelled out Haunter's Confuse Ray, causing it to lose its concentration."

"Haunter, Night Shade!" ordered Morty.

Haunter's eyes glowed as a beam of crimson energy shot out from them, but faster than Gastly did.

"Haunter's faster than Gastly," said Veronica. "Morty is certainly one tough opponent."

"Dodge it, Totodile, and use your Bite attack!" shouted Tristan.

Totodile leaped off the ground and sunk its teeth hard into Haunter's ghostly body.

"Haunter!" cried Morty.

"A direct hit!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Now that's what I call a bite to remember," remarked Eric.

Totodile continued to hang on tightly to Haunter using its teeth as Haunter continued to endure the hit.

"Haunter, use your hands to get Totodile to let go of you!" instructed Morty.

Haunter used its hands to try and pry Totodile loose. After pulling hard, it eventually succeeded, but then...

"Okay, Totodile, finish it off with Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile shot another blast of water towards Haunter at point-blank range, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Haunter!" cried Morty.

Haunter had a dazed expression in its eyes, and had been knocked out.

"Haunter is unable to battle...Totodile wins the round," declared the judge.

"Great job, Totodile," commended Tristan.

Totodile nimbly landed on its feet and gave a nod of approval.

"That was a close one," said Hillary as she breathed a sigh of relief. "If Tristan had waited any longer, Totodile would've met the same defeat as Pikachu did."

"True, but he didn't," replied Veronica. "Tristan knew that Haunter would eventually pry Totodile loose, but he picked the right moment to blast Totodile right out of the battle before it got licked."

"And now Morty's down to his last Pokémon," added Hillary.

"And if I know Morty, it'll be his most powerful Ghost Pokémon," put in Eric.

Morty returned Haunter to its Poké Ball. "I'm very impressed with you and your Pokémon," remarked Morty. "You've raised them all quite well, despite that you've never faced my Ghost Pokémon in a Gym match before. But now, it's time to show you my true power!" He took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "I choose you, Gengar!"

A dark purple bipedal Pokémon with a round body emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had red eyes and a wide mouth that was curled into a sinister grin.

"So that's a Gengar," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Gengar, the Shadow Pokémon. The evolved form of Haunter. Details about Gengar are unknown."_

"Well that doesn't help much," said Hillary.

"Gengar's one of the most mysterious Pokémon to exist in the Pokémon world," said Veronica. "I've heard tales of its sudden appearance dropping the temperature, leaving chills in your spine."

"That sounds scary," said Hillary nervously. "But at least Tristan doesn't have to face the unidentified ghosts like we did in the Pokémon Tower back in Lavender Town."

"I get the shivers just thinking about it," remarked Eric.

"Well, Tristan, are you ready for my Gengar?" asked Morty.

"We're more than ready," replied Tristan. "Totodile, hit it with your Water Gun attack!"

_(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos (as heard in "The Lost Lapras"))_

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Gengar.

"Dodge it, Gengar!" commanded Morty.

Gengar disappeared into thin air, causing Totodile's Water Gun attack to miss.

"That's not good," said Hillary. "Now Tristan and Totodile can't see where Gengar's attack will come from."

"Totodile has to attack Gengar or it'll never win," said Eric.

Totodile frantically looked around as it tried to find Gengar.

"Stay calm, Totodile," advised Tristan. "Just keep your eyes and ears open for Gengar and stay one step ahead of its attacks."

"Use Night Shade!" instructed Morty.

Crimson beams came out of thin air from above, scoring a direct hit on Totodile before it or Tristan could react.

"Totodile!" cried Tristan.

"Now use your Lick attack!" commanded Morty.

Gengar, still invisible, shot its tongue out from above at Totodile and wrapped it around.

"Totodile's tongue-tied!" cried Hillary.

"All right, finish it off, Gengar!" instructed Morty.

Gengar spun Totodile around and around like a wheel, and tossed it down, sending it crashing to the ground.

Totodile had a dazed expression in its eyes, as it was knocked out.

"Totodile is unable to battle...Gengar wins the round," declared the judge.

"Wait! No way!" gasped Tristan.

"Gengar's strong!" said Hillary.

"Gastly and Haunter were strong, too," remarked Veronica. "But Gengar seems to be the strongest of Morty's Ghost Pokémon."

"Now Tristan has only one choice he can make," said Eric. "And that's Abra."

Abra came out of its Poké Ball and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"I'm counting on you, Abra," said Tristan. "We can do this."

Abra nodded.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Freeze Frame"))_

"Disappear, Gengar!" commanded Morty.

Gengar disappeared into thin air.

"Gengar's invisible again," said Hillary. "_Now_ where could it be?"

"Use Foresight to find it!" instructed Tristan.

Abra opened its eyes and tried to shoot a red light to find Gengar.

"Use Night Shade!" commanded Morty.

Crimson beams came out of thin air from above, colliding with the beam from Abra's Foresight, causing an explosion of energy,

Everyone on Tristan's side of the battlefield shielded their faces from the strong winds that followed.

"What incredible power!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I knew Gengar was going to be tough to beat, but not _this_ tough!" grunted Veronica.

"All right, Gengar, let's try and use your Night Shade to finish Abra off," instructed Morty.

Crimson beams shot out from up above straight toward Abra.

"Abra, use Teleport to dodge it!" ordered Tristan.

Abra glowed white and disappeared. An instant later, it appeared in a different part of the battlefield.

"Ah, nice dodge," smiled Morty. "But you can't dodge it forever. Gengar, use a series of Night Shade attacks!"

Gengar, still invisible, shot multiple crimson beams at Abra as it tried to teleport away from them.

"What now, Tristan?" asked Morty. "You know the only way to win is to make Gengar become visible again. But if it spends too much time dodging Gengar's attacks, you don't stand a chance."

"Morty's right," agreed Veronica. "Tristan's in a tough spot, and he needs to find Gengar, or he'll lose the match."

"But what can he do, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"Well, Abra doesn't know very many attacks besides Teleport," replied Veronica. "But if Tristan taps into Abra's true strength, there's still a chance for him to win."

"Gengar, use your Shadow Ball!" shouted Morty.

Gengar's hands sparked with blue electricity. Then it formed a dark colored ball, and threw it directly toward Abra at incredible speed.

Gengar's Shadow Ball came so fast that Abra didn't have time to react, for it scored a direct hit, causing an explosive blast of energy to send it flying.

"Abra, no!" cried Tristan.

Abra fell to the ground, seemingly injured from the explosion thanks to Gengar's Shadow Ball.

"Poor Abra," gasped Hillary.

"I think it's hurt for sure," said Veronica nervously.

"Well, I guess that's that," said Morty. "With all due respect, Tristan, you're a great Trainer, and one with fighting spirit. However, I highly suggest that you forfeit the match before Abra gets hurt even further."

Tristan gave the matter a lot of thought, but when he saw Abra struggling to get back on its feet and turned to him with determination, he was taken aback. "Are you sure, Abra? Do you want to keep battling?"

Abra nodded determinedly.

"Okay, Morty, we'll keep going," replied Tristan. "We're winners, not quitters. And I know Abra won't let me down."

Abra nodded again, but just as it did, it was bathed in a bright light.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered (as heard in "Hot Matches"))_

Tristan was shocked at what was happening, and so were Veronica, Eric, and Hillary.

Eric was the most surprised of all.

"Abra must be evolving!" gasped Eric.

Morty didn't know which was more surprising: the fact that Abra was evolving or its will to win.

Nevertheless, Abra changed shape as it evolved, and when it had finished, it had two pointed ears, narrow deep-set eyes, and a star on its forehead.

"Abra just evolved into Kadabra!" said Hillary excitedly.

"And it looks stronger than ever," added Veronica.

Presently, Abra's eyes glowed red and got ready to attack.

"What's it doing?" wondered Tristan.

"Looks like a Confusion attack to me," answered Eric.

Tristan took out his Pokédex and looked up the entry.

_"Confusion. This powerful Psychic attack confuses the opponent and weakens it as well."_

"This is awesome!" said Tristan. "All right, Kadabra, use your Confusion attack!"

Kadabra sent a red beam of light that was so strong it was felt through the whole building.

Sure enough, Gengar was revealed, much to Morty's shock.

"Look! Gengar's no longer invisible!" said Hillary.

"Now's our chance," said Tristan. "Use Foresight!"

Kadabra shot another red beam of light in Gengar's direction, and pretty soon, it was identified.

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!" shouted Morty.

Gengar attempted to fire another Shadow Ball, but Kadabra fired a mysterious colored beam of energy at Gengar, scoring a direct hit on it and cancelling out its Shadow Ball.

"Gengar!" cried Morty.

"Wow, Kadabra just used Psybeam!" said Hillary.

"Now that hit the mark," said Eric.

And it did, too, for Gengar was sent careening into one of the walls, and soon, fell to the ground, knocked out.

"Gengar is unable to battle...Kadabra wins the round," said the referee. "The match goes to the challenger, Tristan from New Bark Town!"

"Kadabra, we did it!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu ran to congratulate it. "I'm so very proud of you."

Kadabra smiled as Tristan gently put his hands on its shoulders.

Morty returned Gengar to its Poké Ball and held it close. "You did a great job, Gengar. You deserve a good rest." He looked up at Tristan, Hillary, their grandparents, and their Kadabra. Then he said to himself, "I must admit. Veronica and Eric raised two wonderful grandchildren. They were taught well."

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents stood outside the Gym with Morty and his students.

"Well, Tristan, you did a great job," said Morty. "That Kadabra was raised even better than I thought it was when it was still a little Abra."

"Well, Grandpa was the one who did the work," replied Tristan.

"But you were the one who won your Gym match, grand-sonny," reminded Eric.

"Your grandfather has a good point," agreed Morty as he took something out of his pocket. "This is proof of your victory at the Ecruteak Gym. The Fog Badge is yours, and you earned it."

"Thanks, Morty," said Tristan as he took the badge from him. "I had a great time battling with Pokémon I'm not used to training, and I learned a lot from our battle." He then raised his new badge in the air and proclaimed, "All right! The Fog Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu as it stood proudly with Tristan and Kadabra.

"Well, I suppose we should be getting home, dear," said Eric to Veronica. "And Kadabra could use a good rest back at home, too."

"I agree," said Veronica. "And Morty, thank you for battling with our grandson. He was waiting to battle you for a long time."

"It was my pleasure," smiled Morty. "Tristan, I wish you success in your upcoming matches. I believe you'll make it to the Johto League before you know it."

"Thanks, Morty, I'll do my best," replied Tristan.

* * *

_And so, with a little help from his grandfather and Kadabra, Tristan earns his fourth badge. Now with four badges left to obtain before gaining entry into the Johto League, there's no doubt that he and Hillary are ready to move forward to the next Gym and the next adventure._

* * *

That night at the Pokémon Center, Tristan was conversing with Professor Oak on the video phone as Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi watched.

"So how'd your battle with Morty go?" asked Professor Oak.

"It was great," replied Tristan. "I won a Fog Badge. Hey, wait, what happened to you, Professor?"

Sure enough, Professor Oak had earmuffs on his ears and bandages on his face.

"It seems your Larvitar was very loud during its visit and misses you a bit," said Professor Oak, "especially since it spent the whole day screeching and attacking me."

Just then, Larvitar tried to push Professor Oak away, but Professor Oak wouldn't let him.

_(Music Cue: Exeggutor and Oddish March (from the Japanese version of "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" as heard at the end of "Type Casting"))_

"Hang on, Larvitar, I'll send you back to Tristan before..." But Professor Oak's speech was interrupted because Larvitar began screeching again, causing everyone in the Pokémon Center to cover their ears.

"NOT AGAIN!" bellowed Professor Oak as the screeching continued for what seemed like hours.

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	51. BERRY BERRY WHO'S GOT THE BERRY?

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 51 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to base this chapter on my experiences at the Moomoo ranch, where I have to feed Moomoo several berries to help it feel better. I wanted to have Macdonald come into the story as the owner of the Moomoo ranch, hence the name of the song: "Old Macdonald Had a Farm." Plus, I didn't have a name for Macdonald's wife, so I decided to have her be named Frances, and their granddaughter named Marie. And if you're still reading this note, I decided to base Macdonald and Frances based on the late Macdonald Carey and Frances Reid, who were actors on the soap opera _Days of our Lives_, which I don't watch. Please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary come to the Moomoo ranch, but soon discover that a Miltank named Moomoo needs lots of berries because it's ill. However, Taz is intent on taking the berries and the ranch for himself!**

**Chapter 51. BERRY BERRY WHO'S GOT THE BERRY?**

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were up bright and early the next morning as they prepared to leave Ecruteak City. They all had a good breakfast and stood outside admiring the gorgeous sunrise.

They came to a fork in the road as they prepared to leave.

"Looks like there are two different directions we can go," said Hillary.

Tristan nodded in agreement as he checked the map on his Poké Gear. "The road going west leads to Olivine City while the one going east leads to Mahogany Town."

"Shall we flip a coin to see which way we go?" asked Hillary.

"Okay," agreed Tristan. "Heads, we go west; tails, we go east." He took out a coin from his pocket. It had a Pikachu head on one side for heads and a Pikachu tail emblem on the other for tails. He flipped the coin up into the air and caught it in his hands. He then revealed it.

Sure enough, the Pikachu head was face up.

"Looks like we're going to Olivine City first," said Hillary. "Plus it's got a pretty cool beach."

"Well, I really wanted to see Mahogany Town first," said Tristan, "but I suppose I could use a swim or two."

"That's the spirit," said Hillary. "And besides, Olivine City's got a Gym, so you can plan to earn your next badge there."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" said Tristan as he got more and more excited. "Are you ready to earn our fifth badge, pal?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" replied Pikachu excitedly. It always enjoyed winning Gym battles and earning badges with Tristan.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Messenger)_

_Our heroes decide to make Olivine City their next destination, with a little help from a coin toss. But little do they know that not too far from Ecruteak City, a Pokémon is in need of desperate help._

"Tristan, you've been holding that egg in your hand for an hour," said Hillary as she and Tristan continued on. "Aren't you ever gonna take a break?"

"This egg is very important," replied Tristan. "I promised Ho-Oh that it would be hatched safely, and that's what I'm gonna do."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that fateful encounter!" said Hillary as she thought back to what Ho-Oh had said back at the Bell Tower.

* * *

_This is your test. __You must hatch these special eggs safely in order to pass. Do that, and you'll be able to befriend the Pokémon that hatch. I know you'll succeed._

* * *

"Ho-Oh's counting on us," said Tristan.

"And we won't let it down," agreed Hillary as she took out her egg out of her backpack and held it gently in her arms.

Presently, they saw a farm with lots of pink cow-like Pokémon.

"Aren't those Miltank?" asked Hillary.

"They sure are," replied Tristan. "I remember the last time I've seen a place with this many Miltank."

"That was at the Miltank Dairy just outside of Goldenrod City! That milk was delicious. And that yogurt and cheese were really good."

"And I had a battle with Whitney and won the Plain Badge."

"How could I forget that?"

Just then, they heard a voice.

"Moomoo! Moomoo!" A little girl was seen rushing past them in a panic.

"Who's Moomoo?" asked Tristan.

"Beats me," replied Hillary. "But maybe we should check it out."

And they put their eggs back in their backpacks and followed the girl.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Strange Weather)_

They came to another part of the ranch where they saw another Miltank.

"What's going on?" asked Hillary.

"My Moomoo won't do anything!" answered the little girl. "It won't eat, it won't run, and I don't know what to do!" She tried to get Moomoo to move.

But Moomoo just gave a weak reply.

"Something's not right," said Tristan as he checked out Moomoo's forehead.

Sure enough, it was hot to the touch.

"Just as I thought," said Tristan. "It's sick. Real sick."

"But Tristan, won't your first aid kit help Moomoo get better?" asked Hillary.

"It could," replied Tristan. "But I'm afraid that's just a temporary fix."

"I think the best thing to do is to take it back to my grandfather," suggested the girl.

"Who's that?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, he's the farmer of the Moomoo Ranch," explained the girl. "His house is just over there next to Moomoo's stable."

And working together, they carried Moomoo back to the farmhouse.

* * *

Inside, the farmer was having a good look at Moomoo. "Yup, something's definitely not right."

"What do you think is wrong, Grandfather?" asked the girl.

"When was the last time you fed Moomoo?" asked the farmer.

"Well, I know I fed it at lunchtime," answered the girl. "I know it loves its favorite Pokémon food. But for some reason, it wouldn't touch it. It just kept walking away."

"Well, that explains it," said the farmer as he pointed to a bowl full of berries. "You forgot to give it those berries."

"But we were running so low on those berries that I just couldn't see Moomoo disappointed," said the girl.

"Well, it looks to me like you disappointed it anyway," replied the farmer. "Now we have a sick Miltank, and it can't give us any milk until it feels better. And the berries that we have left won't help it now either."

"I'm sorry, Grandfather," sighed the girl.

"I think you should be saying sorry to Moomoo," said the farmer.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to disappoint you, sir," said Tristan.

"I know," sighed the farmer. "It's just that Moomoo is the pride and joy of our ranch, and I wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to our Moomoo here."

"So are those berries Miltank's favorite?" asked Hillary.

The farmer nodded. "They sure are, Missy."

"Actually, my name's Hillary," corrected Hillary. "This is my brother Tristan."

"Hi, there," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted the farmer warmly.

"My name's Macdonald," said the farmer. "And you've met my granddaughter, Marie. Anyway, those berries you see help Moomoo grow up to be big and strong. But for some reason we seem to keep running low on them."

Presently, a woman came into the house. It was the farmer's wife. "What's going on with Moomoo?"

"Well, she ain't givin' me milk no more," replied Macdonald. He turned to Tristan and Hillary. "This here is my wife, Frances. She helps me run this here ranch."

"Nice to meet you, kids," smiled Frances.

"Likewise," replied Hillary.

"Why is milk so important here at the Moomoo Ranch?" asked Tristan.

"This here farm's got famous milk," answered Macdonald. "Moomoo here has the best milk out of all of our Miltank here on the ranch."

"Our milk even goes out to Kanto," added Frances. "So if our Moomoo won't give us any milk, we're in trouble."

"Why's that?" asked Hillary.

"All the folks who have our milk are so happy with the fresh taste," explained Macdonald. "So if Moomoo doesn't get better soon, we won't have the best milk to sell anymore. And if that happens, we'll be out of business."

"How can we help?" asked Tristan.

"Well, see those berries over there?" said Macdonald as he pointed to the berries. "Those berries are Moomoo's favorite. So if you find some trees that have those berries, pick those. They have to be the ripest and freshest ones on the trees. Be sure to pick lots and lots of fresh berries for Moomoo to eat. Moomoo should get better if we feed it lots of those fresh berries, I reckon."

"Don't worry, Grandfather, leave it to me!" said Marie.

"And us, too!" added Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi also agreed to help.

"Thank you," said Macdonald. "You're very kind. Now go and pick as many fresh berries as you can find."

And Tristan, Hillary, and Marie set off.

* * *

_(Music Cue: We Won't Give Up on Pikachu)_

Meanwhile, a bearded man was picking some ripe berries off the trees. Sure enough, it was Taz. "Once I sell enough of these berries, I can finally get out of the poaching business and finally have a long and happy retirement." But just then, a thought crossed his mind. "Hold on. If I steal all the Miltank, then those old coots will have no choice but to sell this ranch to me. Then I will have the sole profit. Heh heh heh heh."

Presently, Tristan, Hillary, and Marie were seen coming.

"It's those stuck-up kids again," grumbled Taz to himself. "Luckily, I know of a good place to hide those berries." And he took the baskets of berries and hid them behind a bush. Then he ducked out of sight just as Tristan and his friends approached.

"We should see some berries here," said Marie. "They can't be too far away."

But to their dismay, no berries could be seen.

"Look! The berries are gone!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Somebody must've picked them all!" added Tristan.

Marie sank to her knees. "Now what'll we do? Moomoo needs those berries!"

"Don't worry, Marie, we won't give up until we find some," said Hillary.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Maybe we'll find some deeper in the orchard," suggested Marie. "Come on, I'll lead the way." And she led Tristan and Hillary deeper into the fields near the ranch.

Taz poked his head out of the bushes. "That was a close one," he said to himself. "Now I'll see about holding this place for ransom in exchange for these berries." And he held up the baskets of the berries that he had picked as he prepared for the next phase of his plan.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the farmhouse, Macdonald and Frances were doing their best to keep Moomoo comfortable.

"Don't you worry, Moomoo," said Macdonald. "Marie'll be back to feed you soon."

Moomoo gave a weak reply as it closed its eyes. It then fell fast asleep.

"Poor Moomoo," said Frances. "It's certainly been through a lot."

"Well, I know Marie was doing her best to help," sighed Macdonald. "But even if we do run low on berries, it's still important to our Moomoo and our business."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Macdonald walked over and answered it.

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

There was a bearded man at the door who was dressed as a businessman.

Little did Macdonald and Frances know that it was really Taz in disguise.

"May I help you?" asked Macdonald.

"Hello, I'm Dr, Berryman," said the disguised Taz. "I understand that you have a problem with your berry shortage."

"Yes, we do," replied Frances. "But how did you know about that?"

"Man's intuition, ma'am," said the disguised Taz. He then saw Moomoo, who still didn't look too good. "Aw, what's the matter with that Miltank?"

"Moomoo hasn't been feeling well lately," explained Macdonald. "And unfortunately, the berries on the ranch are the only things that'll help it feel better."

"Oh, that's too bad," said the disguised Taz. "I didn't see any berries out here, but maybe these can help." And he showed Macdonald and Frances the baskets of berries,

"Those look real fresh," said Frances. "Where did you find those?"

"I found them at the Poké Mart in Ecruteak City," answered the disguised Taz.

"Oh, may we have them?" asked Macdonald. "These berries will help Moomoo feel better."

"Of course you can have them," said the disguised Taz. "Under one small condition."

"Condition? What condition?" asked Macdonald.

"That you sign this contract," answered the disguised Taz as he took out a piece of paper, which read that the ownership of the Moomoo ranch and all the Miltank be transferred to him in exchange for all the berries at his disposal.

"There's no way we're gonna do that," said Frances. "Our Miltank are essential to our business!"

"But think about poor little Moomoo," insisted the disguised Taz. "What would it say?"

Sure enough, Moomoo still wasn't doing well as it tried its best to be comfortable.

"What do you think?" asked Macdonald.

"It seems like we have no other choice," Frances relented.

And so they signed the contract. But as soon as they did, the disguised Taz gave an evil smirk.

"Thank you, kind folks," he said. "Now the Miltank and the ranch are all mine."

"Yes, yes, they're yours, but what about the berries?" asked Macdonald, who was starting to get suspicious.

"I'm afraid that they're mine, too," smirked Taz.

"We had a deal!" protested Frances.

_(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

"Yeah, well, deal with this!" replied Taz as he threw a net over Moomoo, who panicked and squirmed in the net.

"Moomoo!" cried Macdonald and Frances together as they tried to run over to it.

But Taz threw a noose, and in a trice, tied up Macdonald and Frances together.

Macdonald and Frances struggled in vain to break free.

"Why are you doing this?" demanded Macdonald.

"I'd love to stay and answer your question," replied Taz, "but I'm afraid you're tied up at the moment." He cackled as he dragged the berries and the defenseless Moomoo away with him. Then he shoved them into the back of a waiting jeep, started it up, and sped off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, and Marie were walking despondently back toward the farmhouse.

"I can't believe we haven't found one berry," groaned Marie.

"Yeah, those trees must've been picked clean," added Hillary.

Presently, they heard an engine roar a short distance away.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Tristan.

Suddenly, Taz's jeep came barreling over the hill.

"Hey, look out!" cried Marie.

Everyone ducked as the jeep flew over them and landed back on the ground, speeding away as it went.

Suddenly, Marie's sharp eyes spotted something in the back.

"Moomoo's in trouble!" gasped Marie.

"And that's not all! Look!" added Hillary.

Sure enough, Moomoo and the berries were seen in the back, and were being taken away.

"Those are the berries that were supposed to be in the orchard!" said Tristan.

"And look who's driving the jeep!" added Hillary.

"It's Taz!" exclaimed Tristan. "i should've known that he was the one who stole all the berries in the first place."

Sure enough, Taz was at the wheel.

Tristan took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "Heracross, I choose you!"

Heracross emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Hurry, Heracross!" ordered Tristan. "We can't let him get away with Moomoo and the berries!"

Heracross nodded and flew after the jeep as fast as its wings would carry it.

Tristan and his friends followed.

Taz glanced behind him and saw Herarcoss closing in.

"Grr!" grumbled Taz. "Why can't that thing just buzz off?"

"Heracross, Tackle attack that jeep!" commanded Tristan.

Haracross flew higher into the air; then it flew in and rammed the side of Taz's jeep, causing it to crash on its side, and Moomoo and the baskets of berries to fly out.

"Moomoo!" cried Marie.

"And the berries!" added Hillary.

"Okay, guys, it's time to play some catch!" commanded Tristan.

Fortunately, Heracross was able to catch Moomoo while everyone else caught the berries.

"Moomoo!" said Marie, who sighed with relief. She helped get Moomoo out of the net. "Are you okay?"

Moomoo gave a nod.

Unfortunately for Taz, he fell out of the jeep and fell to the ground. "Blasted kids," he grumbled to himself as Tristan and Hillary came to him.

"That's what you get for not wearing your seatbelt!" said Hillary.

"Hey, youse guys!" shouted Taz. "Give those berries back now!"

"No!" replied Marie. "Moomoo needs those berries, and you're not taking them!"

"All right, youse asked for it!" snarled Taz as he took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Go get 'em, Electabuzz!"

His Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "The Little Big Horn"))_

But just then, a herd of pink Pokémon arrived and charged right at Taz and Electabuzz as they rolled faster and faster.

"Aah! Look out, Electabuzz!" cried Taz.

But it was too late, for Electabuzz was sent flying and crashed on the ground.

"Whoa, where did those other Miltank come from?" wondered Taz.

"Marie!" shouted a voice.

"Ah! Grandfather!" cried Marie.

Sure enough, it was Macdonald and Frances, who had freed themselves from their bonds and had come to help.

"Are you and Moomoo okay?" asked Frances.

"We are now," answered Marie.

Macdonald glared towards Taz. "All right, you! I think it's time for you to pay for trying to take our ranch away from us!"

"And all the berries you stole as well!" added Marie.

Taz and Electabuzz cringed in fear.

"Miltank, all together, hit 'em with your Rollout attacks!" commanded Macdonald.

All the Miltank rolled into spinning wheels once again and rolled toward Taz and Electabuzz, but this time, they went a whole lot faster.

Taz and Electabuzz got hit by them all and were sent flying into the sky at remarkable speed, screaming as they went.

_DING!_

"Wow! Those Miltank really are strong!" remarked Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"What'd you expect?" replied Marie. "My grandfather's Miltank are all first rate.

"Now we can make Moomoo first-rate, too," reminded Frances. "Let's get back to the farmhouse and fix it right up."

* * *

That evening, Moomoo was feasting on the berries as it rested comfortably.

The berries helped it feel better in no time.

"Oh, Moomoo, I'm so glad you're okay," said Marie as she embraced it.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"A good night's sleep should help Moomoo feel as good as new," smiled Frances.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," said Macdonald as he tore up Taz's contract and threw it away.

"Hey, Grandfather, what's that?" asked Marie.

"Oh, just a fake contract that that deal breaker put together to take our ranch away," answered Macdonald. He turned to Tristan and Hillary. "How can I ever thank you for rescuing our precious Moomoo from that nasty guy?"

"We didn't do all that much," said Tristan. "It was a team effort."

"Tristan's right, Grandfather," added Marie. "We all did it together."

"But what about all the berries that were picked from the trees?" asked Hillary. "There aren't any left."

"Oh, don't worry," smiled Frances. "Those berries grow on the trees once a day. That guy just didn't treat them with love and care like we do. So we should have an orchard full of berries by morning."

"And thanks to you...all of you, our ranch will be back to full capacity as our customers feast on our freshest milk we have to offer," added Macdonald.

"We were just glad we could help," replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

* * *

The next morning, after enjoying a good breakfast full of fresh milk and berries, Macdonald, Frances, and Marie bid Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends goodbye.

"Thanks for everything, kids!" called Macdonald.

"Take care!" added Frances.

"Good luck on your journey!" finished Marie as she, Macdonald, and Frances waved to Tristan and Hillary.

"Bye now! Take care!" replied Tristan and Hillary as they waved back.

* * *

_Having saved a ranch from going out of business at the hands of Taz, our heroes continue on their journey, thinking about the many adventures and people waiting to meet them._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	52. DISPUTE FOR CUTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 52 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I'm basing Allan and Rex, the two Poké Fans in the Crystal version games and the cute Pokémon they have on Route 6. Also, Butch and Cassidy make appearances in this chapter. Let's imagine them just after they blasted off with Jessie, James, Meowth, Wobbuffet, and their Pokémon. As always, please enjoy, and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Two Trainers, Rex and Allan have an argument on which of their Pokémon is the cutest. But when Butch and Cassidy steal Rex's Phanpy, it's up to them to work together and foil their plans!**

**Chapter 52: DISPUTE FOR CUTE**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_Today, our heroes are continuing their journey to Olivine City, home of Tristan's fifth Gym battle, but little do they suspect that a huge argument is about to take shape. And no, that huge argument doesn't involve them._

"Olivine City's a lot further away than I thought it's be," said Hillary as she and Tristan walked through a clearing. "Why don't we take a break?"

"But I'm sure Olivine City can't be too much further," protested Tristan.

"Look, we walked past the Moomoo Ranch, saw many Pokémon, but we're not getting any closer to Olivine City," said Hillary. "Besides, my legs are killing me from all that walking."

"Whatever," grumbled Tristan as he sat down on the ground.

Pikachu and Togepi looked on in concern.

"I think everyone's getting a little irritated because of the lack of food we've had today," suggested Hillary. "Why don't we have some lunch? Then we can commence our journey again."

Tristan sighed. "I guess it's worth a try."

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon enjoyed a delicious meal.

Pikachu, Chikorita, Quilava, Totodile, Larvitar, and Heracross shared food with Tristan while Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Pichu, Togepi, and Larpas shared food with Hillary.

Soon, everyone forgot all about being irritable.

"I guess the food really did the trick, huh?" said Tristan.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," agreed Hillary. "Now I'm feeling much more cheerful. Now we can relax before moving on."

"But what about my Gym battle in Olivine City?" protested Tristan.

"The Gym's not going anywhere, so we've got time," replied Hillary as she stretched on the grass.

Just as Tristan was about to join her on the grass, they heard two voices.

"Phanpy's the cutest!"

"No, Teddiursa's the cutest!"

"Phanpy!"

"Teddiursa!"

"What was that?" asked Tristan.

"Sounds like an argument," replied Hillary. "We'd better check it out."

And after recalling their Pokémon, they dashed posthaste to another part of the clearing where the two voices were coming from.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))_

Two men were seen butting heads as they continued to argue about which of their Pokémon was the cutest.

One of them had a Pokémon that looked like a teddy bear with a crescent moon shape on its forehead while the other had a small blue elephant-like Pokémon.

Both Pokémon were butting their heads just like their Trainers were.

Presently, Tristan and Hillary arrived on the scene.

"What's going on here?" asked Tristan.

"Oh, Allan and I were just having another argument," replied one of the men. "Everyone knows my Phanpy is one of the cutest Pokémon around."

"You've got it all wrong, Rex!" protested Allan. "My Teddiursa's the cutest thing in these parts. By the way, I'm Allan, and that's Rex. He's the one who started this whole argument."

"I'm Tristan, and this is Pikachu, Togepi, and my sister, Hillary," said Tristan.

"Hello, there," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Allan and Rex warmly.

"Why did you two start arguing in the first place?" wondered Hillary. "It seems to me that both Pokémon are exceptionally cute."

"But Teddiursa's the one who's the cutest of the two Pokémon," protested Allan. "Isn't that right, my cute widdo Teddiursa?" And he picked up Teddiursa and embraced it.

Teddiursa seemed to like that.

"You've got some nerve hugging that thing in front of me!" fumed Rex.

"Don't you call my Teddiursa a thing!" barked Allan. "That Phanpy of yours is nothing but a sniveling little wannabe!"

"Take that back!" demanded Rex.

"I will not!" shouted Allan.

"Want trouble?"

"Bring it on!"

"All right, hold it!" commanded Tristan as he raised his right arm in the air. "It seems to me that neither of you is wanting to give up or give in, so there's only one fair way to decide which of your two Pokémon is the cutest."

"A Pokémon battle!" said Rex and Allan together.

Hillary wasn't at all surprised. "Yup, I think we all saw that one coming."

* * *

A short time later, Rex and Allan stood and faced each other as Tristan watched.

"I'll be the judge and referee of this battle," said Tristan, "and until a winner is declared, I will also be in charge of you two. The battle will be one-on-one, and the battle will be over when either Pokémon is rendered unable to battle."

"All right, fine," said Rex. "I choose my Phanpy!"

Phanpy flapped its ears up and down.

"And I choose my Teddiursa!" said Allan.

Teddiursa just stood there, licking its paws.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say about those two," said Hillary as she scanned them with her Pokédex.

_"Phanpy, the Long Nose Pokémon. Phanpy uses its powerful snout to express affection, not realizing its strength can send you flying._

_"Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pokémon. This cute, cuddly Pokémon is easily frightened and frequently licks its paws, which are usually covered with sweet honey."_

"Phanpy versus Teddiursa," said Tristan. "Begin!"

_(Music Cue: Come Along)_

"Teddiursa, Scratch attack!" commanded Allan.

Teddiursa charged forward and proceeded to scratch Phanpy with its claws.

"Phanpy, Defense Curl!" instructed Rex.

Phanpy rolled into a ball and blocked the damage Teddiursa's Scratch would've done to it.

"I just love the way that Teddiursa scratches!" said Allan. "It's so cute I can't get angry about it."

"Well, my Phanpy can roll into a ball," retorted Rex. "I betcha that went higher than your cute meter can handle, didn't it?"

"Yeah, so what if your Phanpy can't register high enough on my cute meter? It's high enough to register in the galaxy!"

"In the galaxy? I'll bet it's in the highest level of cuteness in the universe!"

"My Teddiursa's got the highest cuteness in the universe of universes!"

"My Phanpy has the highest in the universe of universes of universes!"

"My Teddiursa's the cutest everywhere, plus even further than that!"

"My Phanpy's the cutest everywhere you said, plus everywhere else you just said!"

"Um, hello?" interrupted Tristan. "Are you two battling or aren't you?"

"Oh, boy," sighed Hillary. "Those two should have a reality check."

Pikachu and Togepi silently agreed with her.

"Phanpy, use Rollout attack!" commanded Rex.

Phanpy spun around and around, faster and faster, much faster than normal, until it rammed into Teddiursa, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Teddiursa!" cried Allan.

"Wow, what power!" exclaimed Hillary. "That Rollout attack was extra powerful!"

"That's because Phanpy used Defense Curl before using Rollout," explained Tristan. "Doing so doubles Rollout's power as long as the user stays in the battle."

"Ha!" laughed Rex. "I'll betcha that didn't register that in your cute meter did you?"

Teddiursa fell to the ground.

"Get up, Teddiursa!" ordered Allan. "We can't let that loser beat us! Show him how cute you really are!"

Teddiursa struggled to its feet.

"Phanpy, hit it with another Rollout attack!" commanded Rex.

Phanpy rolled faster than it did the first time, and scored another direct hit on Teddiursa, knocking it out on the spot.

"Teddiursa!" cried Allan.

"Teddiursa is unable to battle!" declared Tristan. "Phanpy wins, and the victor is Rex!"

"Yes!" exclaimed Rex as he jumped for joy. "See, Allan? I told you that Phanpy was the cutest of all."

"Teddiursa!" said Allan as he rushed over to it. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Teddiursa gave a weak reply.

"You need a good rest." Wasting no time, Allan recalled his Teddiursa into its Poké Ball. He then turned to Rex. "You may have beaten me this time, but you won't be so lucky next time!"

"Yeah, well, Phanpy won, and that's the only victory it'll need to prove it's the cutest Pokémon of all, so there!"

And the two Trainers turned their backs on each other and walked away in opposite directions.

Hillary and Tristan sighed.

"Yup," said Hillary. "Those two definitely need a reality check."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss Theme)_

Elsewhere, two people in black uniforms were hiding in the bushes. They had red letter Rs on their shirts.

One had short green hair while the other one had gold hair in pigtails and pink triangular earrings. Sure enough, it was Butch and Cassidy from Team Rocket.

"I can't believe those losers Jessie and James caused us to blast off with them when that Lugia was set free and went on a rampage," grumbled Cassidy. "We never EVER blast off!"

"Well, we won't have to deal with them anymore," replied Butch. "They must be miles away by now. At least from us."

"But now we have to find some Pokémon to steal for the Boss," added Cassidy. She then looked through her binoculars and saw Rex approaching. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"What's up, Cassidy?" asked Butch.

"Something that'll give us a head start in making up for our failure in that undersea base," answered Cassidy.

"What do you mean?" asked Butch.

"Just follow my lead," smirked Cassidy. "I have an idea."

And the two hid in the bushes just as Rex approached.

_Maybe I was a little too harsh on Allan and his Teddiursa in our battle, _thought Rex. _Sure, I know it's cute, but my Phanpy's much cuter than that. Maybe the best thing for me to do is to tell them I'm sorry._ And he started walking back to find Allan.

But suddenly, a Flamethrower attack was shot out, and headed straight for Rex, who ducked just in the nick of time.

Rex quickly got on his feet. "Hey, where'd that come from?!"

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "Goin' Apricorn!"))_

Just then, a quadruped canine Pokémon with short black fur made its appearance. It had a red underbelly and muzzle, and it growled intensely.

Seconds later, Cassidy and Butch made their appearances.

"Who are you guys?!" demanded Rex.

"We're your worst nightmare," smiled Cassidy.

"And you won't wake up from it," added Butch.

"We'll be taking your Pokémon now," smiled Cassidy.

"So hand it over while you can," added Butch.

"No way!" replied Rex. "If you want it, you'll have to take it from me! Phanpy, go!" And he threw his Poké Ball.

Phanpy emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Cassidy laughed. "That's your Pokémon?"

"That should make our job a whole lot easier," agreed Butch.

"My Phanpy may be cute, but it means everything to me!" replied Rex.

"Houndour, Flamethrower!" commanded Cassidy.

Her Pokémon shot a red-hot flame from its mouth right at Phanpy.

"Phanpy, Defense Curl!" shouted Rex.

Phanpy rolled into a ball just as Flamethrower hit it, causing little damage.

"Now, use your Rollout attack!" ordered Rex.

Phanpy spun round and round, faster and faster it went, until it rammed into Houndour, scoring a direct hit on it.

"We can't let you win that easily," said Butch as he took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Hitmontop!"

A vaguely humanoid Pokémon emerged from the white that shot out of it. It had a primarily blue body with a round brown head with extensions and a spike on top.

Rex became annoyed. "Hey, two against one's no fair!"

"Of course it's no fair," replied Cassidy. "We just pride ourselves in doing whatever it takes to get what we want."

"Hitmontop, Rolling Kick!" commanded Butch.

Hitmontop turned upside down and spun round and round, rolling directly into Phanpy, using its legs to attack it over and over.

"Phanpy, no!" cried Rex.

"Smog attack, Houndour!" ordered Cassidy.

Houndour unleashed a green cloud of smoke from its mouth, enveloping Rex and causing him to cough.

"Now for the Phanpy," said Butch as he launched a mechanical arm, using it to grab Phanpy while Cassidy captured it inside a cage.

"I love it when evil wins!" said Cassidy as she and Butch gleefully fled the scene under the cover of Houndour's Smog.

As the smoke cleared, Rex frantically looked around, but he couldn't find his Phanpy anywhere.

"Phanpy!" shouted Rex. "Where are you? Phanpy!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were continuing their journey in the clearing.

"I never thought I'd see a couple of die-hard cute fans," said Hillary.

"I just hope that we don't meet anymore Trainers who are like that," agreed Tristan.

Just then, they saw Rex quickly approaching them.

"Look, it's Rex!" gasped Tristan.

"Oh, boy, here we go again," muttered Hillary.

"Guys, you've gotta help me!" panted Rex.

"What's the matter?" asked Tristan.

"Phanpy's gone!" explained Rex. "Those two people I just met stole it from under my nose!"

Hillary became annoyed. "Who could've done this?!"

"I'll bet it was Taz!" agreed Tristan.

"But there were two people!" said Rex.

"Did you see them before?" asked Hillary.

"No, never," answered Rex. "One of them had a Houndour while the other had a Hitmontop."

Just then, Allan came along. "What's going on?"

"My Phanpy was stolen from me!" replied Rex. "And they used a Houndour and a Hitmontop to do it."

"Let's split up and look for them," suggested Tristan. "We'll have a better chance of finding Phanpy that way."

"Good idea, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "Let's all meet up back here in half an hour."

And they all split up to search.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cassidy and Butch were carrying the cage with Phanpy still inside.

Phanpy looked very miserable.

"Once we give this Phanpy to the Boss, we'll be sure to please him," smiled Cassidy.

"And once we do, we'll be sure to get a bonus," added Butch. "I'm surprised more people don't do it this way."

Presently, Tristan and Pikachu jumped out and stood right in front of them. "Okay, hold it right there!"

"Arrgh! It's that kid again!" grumbled Butch and Cassidy together.

"I should've known it was you all along!" accused Tristan.

"Prepare for trouble, you've got that right," smiled Cassidy.

"And make it double, 'cause you're in for a fight," added Butch.

They both went into their motto.

"To infect the world with devastation."

"To blight all peoples in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love."

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy."

"And Butch, of course."

"We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night."

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight, fight, fight."

"Raticate!" A Raticate came and appeared between the two villains.

"We're taking the Phanpy with us, kid," smiled Butch as he raised the cage in the air.

"Just give Phanpy back, Buzz!" demanded Tristan.

"The name's not Buzz, it's Butch! Didn't you hear me the first time?!"

Cassidy and Butch each threw a Poké Ball respectively.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard the first time in "The Wayward Wobbuffet"))_

"Go, Houndour!"

"Go, Hitmontop!"

Both Houndour and Hitmontop emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Who are those Pokémon?" wondered Tristan as he scanned them with his Pokédex.

_"Houndour, the Dark Pokémon. Houndour travel in packs and communicate through barks in order to surround their prey._

_"Hitmontop, the Handstand Pokémon. Hitmontop's smooth graceful kicks are deceptively powerful. Opponents may be surprised by their force, so beware."_

"Chikorita, Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Friend Ball and Lure Ball.

Chikorita and Totodile emerged from the lights that shot out of both balls.

"Houndour, Flamethrower!" ordered Cassidy.

Houndour shot a red-hot stream of fire from its mouth at Chikorita.

"Quick, Totodile, use your Water Gun attack to protect Chikorita!" instructed Tristan.

Quickly, Totodile jumped in front of Chikorita and unleashed a powerful blast of water at the approaching flame.

Water Gun pushed Flamethrower back and successfully scored a clean hit on Houndour.

"Aargh!" fumed Butch. "Hitmontop, Rolling Kick!"

Hitmontop turned upside down and spun like a top, and unfortunately, it was too fast for poor Chikorita to dodge it, causing it to take a big hit and to be sent flying.

"Oh, no, Chikorita!" cried Tristan.

Chikorita hit the ground hard.

"Now get the Totodile!" instructed Butch.

Hitmontop kept its momentum going and spun directly toward a defenseless Totodile.

"Totodile, watch out!" shouted Tristan.

Suddenly, a barrage of flying stars came out of nowhere and struck Hitmontop, thus stopping its Rolling Kick attack in its tracks.

The interruption of Hitmontop's momentum sent it barreling backward until it fell to the ground.

"No, Hitmontop!" cried Butch.

"Where did that come from?" wondered Tristan.

"We're coming, Tristan!" shouted Hillary as she, Allan, and Rex made their way to the scene.

"Hey, guys!" said Tristan, who was greatly relieved to see them.

"That's my Phanpy, now give it back or else!" demanded Rex.

"Or else what?" retorted Cassidy.

"Or you'll be sorry, that's what!" replied Allan.

"Give back that Phanpy! You know it's not yours!" fumed Hillary.

"As soon as a Swinub flies!" retorted Butch.

"Teddiursa, Scratch attack!" commanded Allan.

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar (as heard in "Sick Daze"))_

Teddiursa charged forward and furiously scratched Butch and Cassidy's faces.

"Chikorita, use Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Chikorita recovered and rammed into Butch and Cassidy, causing them to lose their grip on the cage holding Phanpy, releasing it in the process.

"Phanpy!" cried Rex as he ran and caught it. "Are you okay?"

Phanpy nodded happily. It was glad to be free again.

Rex gently set Phanpy down on the ground. "Ready, Allan? Let's work together and battle them."

"Right, Rex," agreed Allan.

Teddiursa and Phanpy glared at Butch and Cassidy.

"So you wanna play rough now, huh?" fumed Cassidy. "We'll just take both of your Pokémon."

"Hitmontop, Rapid Spin!" ordered Butch.

Hitmontop turned upside down and spun like a top straight towards Phanpy and Teddiursa.

"Phanpy, Rollout attack!" commanded Rex.

Phanpy rolled into a ball and rolled directly toward Hitmontop.

Both attacks collided as they kept spinning.

"Those two attacks are making my head spin!" remarked Hillary. "It's tough to know who'll win."

Eventually, Phanpy successfully pushed Hitmontop backward, causing it to ram into Butch and Raticate.

"Houndour, Flamethrower!" ordered Cassidy.

Houndour shot a powerful hot flame at Teddiursa.

"Teddiursa, DynamicPunch!" shouted Allan.

Teddiursa charged forward as a ball of light formed in its fist. Using that power, it easily went through Houndour's Flamethrower and punch it hard causing a burst of light to form.

"Aah! Houndour!" cried Cassidy.

"What power!" remarked Hillary. "I've never seen a DynamicPunch with so much velocity coming from a cute Pokémon like Teddiursa."

"Now that was awesome," said Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

Thanks to Teddiursa's DynamicPunch, Houndour had been sent skyward, but not for long, for it landed on Cassidy, causing her to fall to the ground also.

"Now let's finish 'em off," said Rex.

"You bet," agreed Allan. "Teddiursa..."

"Phanpy!"

"Send 'em flying!" they shouted together.

Phanpy used Rollout while Teddiursa attacked with another DynamicPunch. Working together, they rammed into Cassidy, Butch, and their Pokémon at the same instant, causing them to be sent flying.

"Looks like we're blasting off again!" yelled Butch and Cassidy as they flew higher and higher into the sky until they eventually disappeared from view.

_DING!_

"Rex, Allan, you two were amazing together," commended Hillary.

"Yeah," agred Tristan. "Even though you have different cute Pokémon, you set aside your differences and helped each other in the process."

Allan and Rex looked at each other. Then they turned to Tristan and Hillary and said, "Yeah, you're right." Then they shook hands to mark their friendship.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

That evening, Tristan and Hillary were preparing to say their goodbyes to Rex and Allan.

"No way!" gasped Rex. "I had no idea that you were training to be a part of the Johto League."

"My Pokémon and I have been together for a while now," explained Tristan. "And right now, we're on our way to the Gym in Olivine City so that I can get my fifth badge."

"And I'm along for the ride, too," added Hillary, "but I'm still trying to decid what I want to do. So I'm competing in tournaments to see what works best for me."

"You know, it's smart of you to choose a path on your own," said Rex. "You and Tristan'll be great Trainers for sure."

"Thanks," replied Tristan. "We'll do our best."

"Well, we'd better get going, guys," said Hillary. "See you later."

And Hillary and Tristan turned around and started on the road again.

"Bye, guys!" called Rex and Allan. "Good luck on your journey!"

Tristan and Hillary waved back until Allan and Rex were out of sight.

"Who knew that those two could get along in times like that?" said Tristan.

"You certainly have a way with words, Tristan," remarked Hillary.

"It's a gift," replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

* * *

_Rex and Allan settle their differences in time to work together and defeat Butch and Cassidy. Now our heores are working together, too, working on a path that will lead to victory as Tristan looks forward to his next Gym battle in Olivine City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	53. SELF ICE-OLATION

**Chapter 53: SELF ICE-OLATION**

**Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 53 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This title, as you know, is a pun from the phrase "self isolation" thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. And, I've decided to have Tristan and Hillary's adventure today take place at Snowtop Mountain, the same place where Ash and his friends went off to to take a picture of the legendary Pokémon Articuno. Please feel free to read and review responsibly.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary want to see the legendary Pokémon Articuno, but when a blizzard separates Tristan and Pikachu, it's a race against the clock and the wind to get them both back together as they find themselves stranded on a ledge of ice on Snowtop Mountain!**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_Our heroes are still on their way to the Johto League, but today, as they get closer to Olivine City and the next Gym, they arrive in the vicinity of Snowtop Mountain, which is known for its cold climates, the world's highest Pokémon Center, and a very familiar legendary friend._

"Brrr!" shivered Hillary as she and Tristan walked in the snow. "I haven't been this cold since the time we slept in the icy mountains near Violet City."

Togepi and Pikachu shivered in agreement.

"Me too," agreed Tristan. "I never expected a place as cold as this, but the PokéGear said it's there."

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Presently, they felt some snowflakes falling from the sky.

"Hey, look!" said Hillary. "It's snowing!"

"But that's impossible," replied Tristan. "It can't be snowing because there's not a cloud in the sky."

Then, they both saw a silhouette flying high above them. It had a long, thin streamer-like tail, and it glistened as it flew by.

"I wonder what that is," said Tristan.

"Maybe we should check it out," suggested Hillary. "It is an adventure, after all."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all ran to try and catch up to whatever it was that was flying above them.

But little did they know that it was a familiar Pokémon that they had befriended early on their journey.

* * *

As they continued on, the wind began to blow harder, and as it did, the air grew colder and colder.

"It's freezing!" shivered Hillary. "I never expected the wind to pick up this fast!"

"Me neither," replied Tristan. "I think we'd better find some shelter from this cold until it settles down."

"Hey, look!" said Hillary. "There's a Pokémon Center right over there!"

"Great, let's go!"

And they dashed to the Pokémon Center posthaste.

Nurse Joy saw them shiver as they entered and the wind blew in.

Quickly, they closed the door to keep the cold air out.

"Oh, my, just look at you!" gasped Nurse Joy. "You must be freezing! Are you all right?"

"We are now," shivered Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi shivered in agreement.

"Why don't I make some hot soup for you?" suggested Nurse Joy. "That should help warm you up."

* * *

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were all enjoying bowls of nice hot soup.

"This is really good, Nurse Joy," smiled Tristan.

"And hot," added Hillary. "This'll warm up us in no time."

Tristan looked up at the ceiling as he thought.

"What's up, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I was just wondering what we saw flying in the sky shortly before we came here," replied Tristan.

"You don't mean the thing that we followed, do you?"

Tristan nodded. "Something about it seems vaguely familiar to me."

"But what?"

"Well, I'm not sure," said Tristan. "It had a long, thin tail, and it waved it gracefully as it flew."

_Hmm, _thought Hillary. _Now that he mentions it, I believe I've seen that before, too. _She opened up her backpack, took out her Pokédex, and pressed a few buttons. She had found an image of a Pokémon with blue plumage and showed it to him. "Hey, Tristan, is this it?"

Tristan gasped. "That's it! That's the Pokémon we saw!"

Hillary pushed a button on her Pokédex and it read the entry.

_"Articuno, the Freeze Pokémon. This legendary Pokémon, with wings like thin sheets of ice, is believed to possess the ability to freeze water vapor and create snow."_

"I wonder if it was Articuno that made it snow earlier," said Hillary.

"It sure is possible," replied Tristan, "especially considering how cold it is here." He quickly finished his soup. "All right, my mind's made up. I'm gonna go find Articuno! Come on, Pikachu, let's go!" And he and Pikachu ran out of the Pokémon Center.

"Tristan, wait!" called Hillary. "You can't go out there dressed like that!"

But it was too late, for he and Pikachu had already left.

"I have to follow them," said Hillary to herself. "Who knows what trouble they'll get into."

Presently, Nurse Joy handed Hillary two pairs of snow pants and two heavy winter coats. "These should keep you both warm."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Hillary as she and Togepi ran out of the Pokémon Center and followed Tristan and Pikachu.

"Be careful out in that bitter cold!" called Nurse Joy.

* * *

Meanwhile as the snow flew, Tristan and Pikachu came to a statue.

"I wonder what this statue is for," said Tristan to himself. "This must be really special."

"Tristan, there you are!"

Tristan and Pikachu turned around to see Hillary running towards him.

"You should know better than to go out in the cold in these clothes," said Hillary. "Here, put these on."

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan as he put on his winter clothes. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Yeah, I understand," said Hillary. "You're adventurous, so it's understandable, and I'm sure Articuno wouldn't mind us finding it. Hey, what's with this statue?"

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "But whatever it is, it must be important."

Nurse Joy came with the answer just seconds later. "Well, if you're really interested in the legends of Snowtop Mountain, I'll tell you all about it."

"Sure, we're all ears," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

_(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

"Twelve hundred years ago, three travelers came here, but were soon stranded," explained Nurse Joy. "They were freezing, and had no way to get up or down the mountain. But suddenly, an Articuno appeared and brought them to safety. They then carved this statue you see here to thank and honor Articuno."

Tristan and Hillary were awestruck at the story Nurse Joy was telling.

"It is also said that Articuno fly from one nest to another," continued Nurse Joy, "in the coldest, snowiest, and highest mountains. They wrote about their experiences in a diary to help them and everyone else learn about the legends here."

"Then it can't just be a coincidence," said Tristan. "Articuno has to be here, and I'm sure we'll see it if we just climb to the top of Snowtop Mountain."

"Now hold on," Hillary cautioned him. "We don't know the first thing about ice climbing, and there's no way we can get to the top of the mountain, especially if it's as slippery and snowy as Nurse Joy says it is."

"Well then, we'll just have to be extra careful when we climb Snowtop Mountain and find Articuno," said Tristan, who was now full of determination. "What do you say we find it together?"

"There's no stopping Tristan when he gets like this," said Hillary to herself. "All right, Tristan, you've convinced me. Let's go."

"That's the spirit!"

Just then, heavy snow fell followed by a huge gust of wind.

Tristan and Hillary held on to Pikachu and Togepi, respectively as they shielded them from the cold winds and snow.

"Boy, that's cold," shivered Hillary. "Maybe we should rethink our decision."

"But I just know Articuno's out there!" protested Tristan.

"Let's not take any chances, so let's get back inside the Pokémon Center!" insisted Nurse Joy. "These conditions are perfect enough for a blizzard to take shape."

"What?!" gasped Hillary.

_(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

But before they could take a step back to the Pokémon Center, an even bigger gust of wind blew, causing Tristan to lose his grip on Pikachu. "Pikachu!" he cried as he ran after it.

"Tristan, wait, come back!" cried Hillary.

But it was no use, for Tristan had already disappeared. He had to save his friend.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "Tristan and Pikachu will get lost and freeze from that blizzard if we don't find them and fast."

"Then let's take my snowmobile," suggested Nurse Joy. "We'll cover much more ground, and we'll find them much faster that way."

"Okay, let's go," agreed Hillary.

* * *

Tristan was still running after Pikachu as fast as his legs would carry him. Pretty soon, he lost sight of it. He frantically looked all around. "Pikachu, where are you?" he called "Pikachu!" Just then, he saw Pikachu's ears sticking out from a pile of snow. "Pikachu!" he said excitedly as he pulled Pikachu out of the snow pile, but by using his bare hands, he felt extremely cold from the snow. He tried to hold Pikachu as tightly as he could to share the body heat.

But unfortunately, the strongest gust of wind yet blew, causing Tristan to fall to the ground and Pikachu to fly out of his hands, sending it skyward!

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan. "Pikachu!" He tried to look all around for it, but he couldn't see it anywhere. _There's only one thing for me to do. I'll have to climb Snowtop Mountain. _And he ran as fast as he could through the wind and snow straight toward the huge mountain.

* * *

A few minutes later, he reached the base of Snowtop Mountain. "I must save Pikachu," he said to himself. "But what can I do to climb up?" Then he had an idea. He got his rope and ice ax out of his backpack and started climbing.

Presently, he heard a voice coming from higher up the mountain desperately calling for help.

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

Tristan knew that voice. "That's Pikachu!" he gasped in shock. He began to climb faster despite the slippery slope, strong winds, and heavy snow. He had to save it before it was too late. "I'm coming, Pikachu!"

The voice got louder as Tristan climbed higher and higher.

Presently, Tristan saw a familiar yellow silhouette dangling on the edge of a small platform of ice.

"Pikachu!" said Tristan. "Try to hang on!"

Pikachu nodded as it tried to hang on to the ledge of ice.

A moment later, Tristan climbed up to the platform and managed to haul Pikachu up. He held it close to him. "Are you okay, Pikachu?" he asked.

Pikachu shivered, but nodded.

"I'm glad," said Tristan. "I was afraid I'd lost you."

Pikachu gave a weak, but happy reply.

"I can't believe we managed to get separated from Hillary and Nurse Joy. Now that's what I call being ice-olated."

Pikachu didn't take much notice to Tristan's joke, but it nodded in agreement.

"Now we have to find a way off the mountain. The only question is how do we do it?"

_(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Freeze Frame"))_

Presently, a flock of brown avian Pokémon descended on him and Pikachu.

"That's a flock of Spearow!" gasped Tristan.

Sure enough, that's what it was, for they had seen Tristan and Pikachu, and proceeded to attack them.

"Pikachu, give them a Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu jumped and launched a powerful yellow bolt of electricity at the approaching flock, but it wasn't enough to keep them away as they still flew toward it and Tristan.

"That Thunderbolt didn't scare them off!" gasped Tristan.

At that instant, they started pecking Tristan and Pikachu repeatedly.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" cried Tristan. "Stop that pecking!"

Pikachu, being cold already, felt the extra pain from Spearow pecking it.

"Hey, leave us alone!" demanded Tristan. "We didn't bother you!"

Unfortunately, Pikachu had been pushed back to the edge of the edge as the flock of Spearow mercilessly continued to attack it.

"Pikachu, watch out!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late, for Pikachu had fallen off the edge, and was falling fast.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan has he jumped after it.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

He managed to catch it a second later, then he threw his Friend Ball.

Chikorita had emerged from the light that shot out of it and landed on a lower ledge of ice.

"Chikorita, use your Vine Whip!"

Just as Tristan and Pikachu fell below the ledge, Chikorita shot two green vines from its bud necklace and managed to grab them just in time.

"Great, Chikorita! Now pull us up!" commanded Tristan.

Chikorita tugged and pulled with all its might as Tristan and Pikachu held on to each other. Eventually, it managed to haul them onto the ledge.

"Awesome job, Chikorita, you saved us," commended Tristan.

Chikorita gave a nod and hopped on Tristan's lap. Suddenly, Chikorita was bathed in a bright white light.

"Whoa, what's going on?" gasped Tristan.

As Chikorita grew in size, its buds were turning into tightly curled leaves, and the leaf on its head had curled back. When the light disappeared, it had a pale yellow body and a nail from each of its feet.

"Chikorita just evolved," said Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with its Pokédex.

_"Bayleef, the Leaf Pokémon. The evolved form of Chikorita. Bayleef emits a spicy aroma from the leaves around its neck, and its Razor Leaf is extremely powerful."_

"Wow, Bayleef, you look pretty powerful, especially after helping us out like that," said Tristan. "Thanks a lot."

"Bay, Bay!" replied Bayleef as it nudged Tristan affectionately.

Suddenly, the ledge of ice they were sitting on began to crack loose.

"Whoa, look out!" cried Tristan.

But it was too late, for the ledge broke off, causing Tristan, Pikachu, and Bayleef to fall off.

"Bayleef's weight must've accidentally caused the ledge to break apart!" said Tristan as he and his Pokémon continued to fall.

They closed their eyes as they braced themselves for the impact.

But just then, a Pokémon with blue plumage swooped down and safely grabbed them in its talons.

_(Music Cue: Flying Kairu (Dragonite))_

Tristan opened his eyes and saw that he and his Pokémon weren't falling anymore, but instead, flying over the snow and slowly going lower and lower. He saw what had just saved him: the legendary Pokémon Articuno, the same one he'd helped before in Kanto.

"Articuno!" said Tristan excitedly. "Thanks a lot."

Articuno nodded as it flew on.

"Do you remember us?" asked Tristan. "It's been quite a while since we first met you in Fuschia City."

Articuno gave another nod. It was certainly fond of Tristan and Pikachu, especially after it was saved by them there.

"Articuno, you're one of the greatest friends we could ever ask for," said Tristan.

Pikachu and Bayleef agreed.

* * *

A short distance away, Hillary and Nurse Joy were still riding in the snowmobile in the hopes of finding Tristan and Pikachu in time.

Suddenly, Hillary saw something approaching from the sky. "Look, up there!"

Nurse Joy stopped the snowmobile as the silhouette approached from the sky. "Do you think that's...?"

"It's Tristan!" said Hillary. "It just has to be!"

And sure enough, as the silhouette flew lower and lower, there, safely in its talons, was Tristan and Pikachu along with his newly evolved Bayleef.

"Tristan! There you are!" said Hillary.

"And look, there's Articuno!" added Nurse Joy.

"Hey, guys!" called Tristan. "Mind if we drop in?"

Articuno descended low enough for Tristan, Pikachu, and Bayleef to land safely on their feet.

"Tristan!" said Hillary as she embraced him. "Thank goodness you're all right. I was worried about you."

"Aw, thanks, sis," replied Tristan. "Actually, we should be thanking Articuno...and Bayleef, of course."

Bayleef nodded in agreement.

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "Since when did Chikorita evolve? I sure missed a lot looking for you."

"Bayleef was the one who saved Pikachu and me from falling after it evolved, and then Articuno ended up saving all three of us," explained Tristan. "But it doesn't matter, so long as we get to see our friend Articuno again."

"So, is that the same Articuno we saw near Fuschia City?" asked Hillary. "It's great to see you again!"

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Articuno gave a nod. Then it flapped its wings and rose into the air.

"Thank you, Articuno!" called Tristan and Hillary.

Articuno gave a screech as it flew off and its entire body glistened in the sun.

"What a beautiful Pokémon Articuno is!" said Hillary.

"Yeah, not to mention big, powerful, and majestic," added Tristan.

_Hmmm, now where have I heard that before? _thought Nurse Joy.

* * *

"Just keep following this road, and you should be out of the cold weather," advised Nurse Joy.

"Thanks a lot," replied Tristan.

"Although it was nice to see Articuno again, it'll be nice to get into warmer weather," added Hillary.

_Hillary's right, _thought Tristan. _Thanks to the Silver Wing, I can call any and all of the legendary Pokémon she and I befriended on our journey anytime we need to. And I owe one special legendary Pokémon my gratitude. _His Silver Wing glistened in the sunlight.

"Well, Tristan, we'd better get going," said Hilalry. "I'm sure you won't want to miss your next Gym battle in Olivine City, right?"

"Yeah, you're right, sis," agreed Tristan. "Let's go."

And they both turned and waved goodbye to Nurse Joy.

"Bye, guys!" called Nurse Joy. "And be careful out there!"

"We will! Bye now!" replied Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi also said their goodbyes to Nurse Joy as they walked along with their Trainers.

* * *

_Thanks to the legendary Pokémon Articuno, and Tristan's newly evolved Bayleef, our heroes live to see another day, and many more after that. And as they descend from Snowtop Mountain, Tristan will be able to think of the many adventures that lie ahead as they continue on to Olivine City._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	54. RIDING AT EXTREMESPEED

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 54 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to put Ramona, Keegan, and their Arcanine in this chapter. I remember that Arcanine are powerful Pokémon and are very fast, too, especially when using their ExtremeSpeed. It must be exhilarating to ride on one at that speed. Enjoy and leave responsible reviews.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu meet Ramona, Keegan, and their three Arcanine, who run a delivery business. After Tristan falls off one of the Arcanine during his riding lesson, he knows it'll take confidence and practice to ride one, especially when Taz tries to steal the three Arcanine and and the Fire Stones!**

**Chapter 54: RIDING AT EXTREMESPEED**

_(Music Cue: Very Bad)_

_After their adventures on Snowtop Mountain, our heroes decide to take a rocky pass on the way to Olivine City, but they've been walking so long, they can hardly stand up._

"I need a break," complained Tristan as he, Hillary, and their friends Pikachu and Togepi sat down in the middle of the pass.

"Yeah, I know how you feel," agreed Hillary. "My feet are killing me. I feel as if I could catch as many Pokémon as I have blisters."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed, although Togepi didn't have to walk after spending time in Hillary's arms; Pikachu had been riding on Tristan's shoulder as usual.

"Is there a Pokémon Center nearby?" asked Tristan.

"Let's see," said Hillary as she took out her Poké Gear and checked the map function. She didn't see any there. "No, I'm afraid I don't see any Pokémon Centers anywhere around here. However, if we wanted to check out the Pokémon Center back on Snowtop Mountain, we could do that."

"That'd be like going in reverse," groaned Tristan. "Besides, we'll never get to Olivine City by going backwards anyway. And besides, we still have eggs from Ho-Oh that we need to hatch."

"You're right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "What should we do?"

"Well, we need to take care of them, first of all," answered Tristan. "And second of all, we'll need to make sure they hatch safely."

Just then, three quadruped Pokémon with orange pelts and black stripes appeared.

Two people were seen riding on two of them. There were a young boy and an older girl.

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "What are they?"

"I know what they are, sis, they're Arcanine," answered Tristan.

"Let's check them out," said Hillary as she scanned them with her Pokédex.

_"Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon. The evolved form of Growlithe. Arcanine is known for its bravery and fierce loyalty. Growlithe evolves into Arcanine through use of a Fire Stone."_

"Those Arcanine look pretty big," said Hillary. "They must be strong ones, too."

"Yeah, do you remember the Arcanine that Officer Jenny from Fuschia City had?" asked Tristan.

"Yeah, they helped us get away from Taz when he was trying to capture all the Butterfree back in Fuschia City," answered Hillary.

Presently, the girl and boy hopped off of the Arcanine.

"Hi," smiled the boy. "You two look tired."

"We sure do," groaned Tristan. "We've been walking all day and stopped just a little bit ago to rest."

"I'm sure you needed it," replied the girl. "Hi, my name's Ramona, and this is my little brother, Keegan."

"How do you do?" greeted Keegan.

"Hi, my name's Tristan," said Tristan.

"Hello, I'm his sister, Hillary," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Ramona and Keegan warmly.

Presently, Hillary noticed some luggage wrapped around one of the Arcanine's manes. "What are these bags for?"

"We operate a delivery business," explained Ramona. "We carry items from town to town and from village to village using our Arcanine."

"The town recently had a Fire Pokémon competition," added Keegan. "And we delivered some Fire Stones there, but we did have a few minor difficulties. I recently injured my arm, and Team Rocket tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. But we defeated them and delivered the Fire Stones to their destination on time. Plus, my arm's out of the sling now, so I can lead my Arcanine again."

"That's a relief," smiled Hillary.

"And," continued Keegan, "since the town we're headed for enjoyed the Fire Pokémon competition so much, they decided to do it again. And we've been asked to deliver more Fire Stones."

"Another Fire Pokémon competition?" Hillary could scarcely believe her ears. But then she grew more excited. "I want to enter it! I have a Cyndaquil!"

"And I have a Quilava, who recently evolved from a Cyndaquil," added Tristan.

"Well, that settles it," smiled Ramona. "We'll see about getting you there."

"But sis, we still have plans to go to Olivine City so I can get my next badge," whispered Tristan to Hillary.

Keegan overheard their conversation. "Don't worry about it. The town we're going to is on the way to Olivine City. So maybe you'd like to ride with us on our Arcanine."

"Could we?" Tristan and Hillary thought that it was a good idea. "Sure, we'd love to."

Tristan then walked over to one of the Arcanine. "This one sure seems friendly." And he gently petted it.

The Arcanine seemed to like that a lot...so much, in fact, that it decided to lick him, causing Tristan to laugh.

"That tickles!" laughed Tristan.

"Arcky seems to have taken a liking to you, Tristan," smiled Keegan.

"Arcky?" asked Hillary.

"That's what I call my Arcanine sometimes," replied Keegan. "I have one while Ramona has the other two."

"Well, I think we should get going, don't you?" suggested Ramona.

"I'll ride with Keegan so I can learn how to handle Arcanine," said Tristan. "Do you think you can handle riding one by yourself, Hillary?"

"I think so," said Hillary nervously.

"I wouldn't worry," Ramona assured her. "You can ride on one of mine. They're well-trained."

"Okay, let's go," agreed Hillary.

And a moment later, Tristan, Hillary, and their new friends rode off on the Arcanine and made their way through the valley.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo's Counterattack"))_

Some time later, they all stopped in the middle of a clearing to rest and have lunch as Keegan, Ramona, and Hillary all brushed the Arcanine's coats.

Tristan cooked the lunch as usual, while sharing it with Hillary and the Pokémon as well as Keegan, Ramona, and their Arcanine.

"Thanks for this great food, Tristan," smiled Keegan. "I don't get cooking that's this good, not that Ramona's cooking is bad or anything."

"Aw, don't mention it," replied Tristan. "Thank you for letting us ride the Arcanine with you."

"You're welcome," said Ramona. "We were just glad you were able to ride with us."

"One thing Tristan and I have learned is that some Pokémon are amazing to watch," said Hillary. "But other Pokémon are so much fun to ride."

"Arcanine are well known for their beauty and speed," added Ramona. "So it's no surprise that when Trainers ride one, they have an amazing time as the wind rushes through their hair, especially when they go fast."

"It almost makes you feel like you're actually flying," agreed Keegan.

"Hey, Keegan, do you think you can teach me how to ride an Arcanine by myself?" asked Tristan.

"Sure," smiled Keegan. "I can give you a riding lesson if you want."

"That'd be great, thank you," replied Tristan. "I'm always up for a new challenge, and I'm a quick study."

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan had situated himself on Keegan's Arcanine as Keegan and the others watched.

"Now one of the best things to know is that you have to be one with Arcanine," explained Keegan. "It's very important not just for Arcanine, but for the person riding it as well."

"Got it," said Tristan.

"One other thing," continued Keegan. "When you want to change direction, just lean in the direction you want to go."

"Keegan sure knows a lot about Arcanine," remarked Hillary to Ramona.

"Keegan first got those pointers from me when I taught him how to handle Arcanine," replied Ramona. "We'll just have to see how well your brother does when riding by himself for the first time."

"Hey, if I can handle riding an Arcanine by myself, then so can he," said Hillary.

"I'm ready, Keegan," said Tristan. "Let's go, Arcanine!"

_(Music Cue: Depart to the Pokémon Castle)_

And Keegan's Arcanine took off, but much faster than Tristan would've liked, for it started running like a shot, causing Tristan to hang on as tightly as he could.

"Whoa!" cried Tristan. "How do you stop this thing?"

"That Arcanine's fast!" exclaimed Hillary. "I think Tristan may have gotten more than what he bargained for."

"Remember, just be one with Arcanine!" called Keegan.

Tristan heard him and managed to regain control.

"Hey, maybe Tristan's not so bad after all," remarked Ramona.

"Yeah, he's doing a pretty good job on his first try so far," added Keegan.

_If I want to be as good at handling Arcanine as Keegan is, I'm gonna have to trust my instincts and listen to his instructions, _thought Tristan. And he looked quickly and carefully as he saw a boulder ahead. "Go left!" he shouted as he leaned his body to the left.

Sure enough, Arcanine swayed to the left and avoided the boulder. Then Arcanine turned around and went towards the boulder again.

"Now, go right!" instructed Tristan as he leaned his body to the right.

Arcanine swayed to the right, avoiding the boulder again.

"Hey, not bad, Tristan!" commended Keegan.

"Yeah, way to go, Tristan!" shouted Hillary.

"Hey, this is fun!" said Tristan as Arcanine went faster and faster; however, his excitement was short-lived, for just ahead of him and Arcanine, there was a pond. "Quick, jump, Arcanine!"

And Arcanine did, jumping high into the air with amazing speed; however, Tristan flew off its back in the process, causing him to fall towards the ground.

"Look out, Tristan!" cried Hillary.

Fortunately, Bayleef had seen him fall and quickly used its Vine Whip to catch him just before he hit the ground.

Arcanine, on the other hand, landed safely just a few feet away.

"That was close. Thanks, Bayleef," said Tristan.

Bayleef set him safely on the ground..

"You didn't do too badly for your first try," said Ramona. "But it's gonna take some more practice to ride Arcanine at that speed."

"I'm confident that I will," replied Tristan. "If I can be one and change direction that quickly, I know I'll be able to handle riding Arcanine at a fast speed in no time."

"That's the spirit, Tristan," commended Keegan. "It's just like riding a bicycle. You just gotta get back up and try again."

"What he said," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed with them.

"Yeah!" said Tristan as he got back on Keegan's Arcanine. "Let's do it, Arcanine!" And he practiced with Arcanine for the next hour.

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Meanwhile, not too far away, Taz, the bearded man, was looking through the bushes. "Those Arcanine look really good and strong," he said to himself. "If I could capture them and sell them on the Poké Market, I'd make a bundle. And I think I know just how to do it, too, especially if what they're carrying is of high value. That'd be a bonus." And he put his plan into motion.

* * *

As Tristan, Hillary, and their new friends continued on their way riding on the Arcanine, they saw an ice cream truck just ahead.

"Hey, look!" said Keegan excitedly. "We should stop a minute and get some ice cream!"

"I'm in," agreed Hillary.

"Me, too," added Tristan.

"Me, three," added Ramona. "Okay, Arcanine, let's stop a second."

The Arcanine slowed down and came to a halt.

_(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity Kanto)_

A figure in ice cream attire came out of the truck and said, "Well, howdy, kids! Get your ice cream cones free of charge right here!"

Little did everyone know that it was really Taz in disguise.

"Free? That's the best ice cream ever!" smiled Keegan.

"There are plenty of flavors to choose from," added the man, "including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry shortcake, rocky road, you name it!"

Ramona became suspicious. "Now why would someone like you be stopping here in the middle of the valley, especially when it can get chilly this time of year?"

The disguised Taz shrugged. "Well, ma'am, I'm just trying to keep my ice cream fresh. It makes no sense to stop in places that are too hot for the ice cream to survive. It could melt instantly in the hot sun."

"Yeah, that makes sense," replied Ramona.

"Say now!" smiled the disguised Taz. "Those are some pretty fine Arcanine you've got there! After spending the entire day carrying you guys around from place to place, I think they deserve to have the first licks of ice cream."

"Great idea," agreed Keegan.

"Well, they do deserve it," added Ramona.

"The ice cream bowls are right in the back of the truck," smiled the disguised Taz. "Go on, you three fine Arcanine. You earned it."

And the three Arcanine climbed into the back of the truck. But just as they got in, the door suddenly closed behind them, causing them to panic.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "Hatching a Plan"))_

"Arcanine!" cried Ramona and Keegan.

"And the Fire Stones!" added Hillary.

"Hey, what is this?!" demanded Tristan.

Taz threw off his disguise and revealed himself to everyone. "Ha! Gotchas again, losers!"

"It's Taz again!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Give back the Arcanine!" demanded Tristan.

"And the Fire Stones, too!" added Keegan.

"Looks like they belong to me now," replied Taz. "But don't worry, when I sell them all, I'll be sure to think of all of youse!" And he took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

His Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Magmar, Smokescreen now!" ordered Taz.

Magmar shot a gray cloud of smoke from its mouth directly at Tristan and his friends, who choked.

"Ha! So long, suckers!" laughed Taz as he started speeding off.

"Heracross, Larvitar, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his two Poké Balls.

Heracross and Larvitar emerged from the white lights that shot out of them and awaited Tristan's orders.

"Heracross, blow the Smokescreen away!" commanded Tristan.

Heracross flapped its wings furiously and blew Magmar's Smokescreen away in no time, but as soon as it did, everyone saw that the truck was going further and further away.

"Heracross, go follow the truck from the air," instructed Tristan.

Heracross instantly flew ahead to try and catch it.

"Larvitar, go underground and follow the truck from below," added Tristan.

Larvitar nodded and quickly dug underground.

"Let's go, too," suggested Tristan.

Everyone else agreed as they all ran after the truck.

* * *

Meanwhile, Taz was driving faster and faster towards his destination. "As soon as these Arcanine are sold, I'll have all the money I need to retire."

Just then, big thumps were heard coming from the back of the truck.

"Hey! Shut your yaps you good-for-nothing things!" barked Taz. "We'll be there soon, all right?" He then grumbled. "It's worth all this trouble just to capture some rare and powerful Pokémon. Maybe I need to stop a second and stretch." And a moment later, he pulled the truck to a halt and got out for a short walk.

As soon as Taz walked away from the truck, Larvitar popped out from underground. It then bit one of the truck's rear tires as hard as it could, and soon, air was hissing from it. Larvitar popped back underground so it wouldn't be seen.

A few moments later, Taz came back feeling refreshed from his walk. But as soon as he got inside, the truck drastically tipped over to one side. "Now what's going on here?" he demanded. He got out to investigate, and sure enough, he saw the tire that had gone flat thanks to Larvitar. "Of all the rotten luck! How could this have happened?!" And he quickly got out to change the tire. Little did he know that he was being observed from above by Heracross, who had followed him and rushed back to alert Tristan and his friends.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and his friends were still looking for the truck.

Keegan and Ramona began to get worried.

"I hope we find the Arcanine soon, Ramona," said Keegan.

"I hope so, too," agreed Ramona. "We have a delivery to make and a deadline to meet."

Presently, Tristan, Hillary, and their friends saw Heracross coming toward them.

"What's up, Heracross?" asked Tristan. "Did you see the truck?"

Heracross gave a nod and flew ahead in the direction of the truck.

"All right, let's go!" said Tristan excitedly as he and his friends followed.

* * *

Back at Taz's location, the Arcanine were still banging against the back of the truck's trailer. Presently, they unleashed their Flamethrower attacks at the trailer door in an attempt to burn through it.

At that moment, Taz had just finished putting on a new tire, and was now ready to drive the truck again.

As soon as he got back inside the truck to start it up again, Larvitar quickly popped out from underground again, and bit another one of the truck's rear tires, causing air to hiss out of that one and the truck to tip over.

Taz got out to investigate again. "Good grief!" he grumbled. "Why are my tires suddenly going flat?" He took out another new tire and replaced the old tire as fast as he could.

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

But then, he noticed the horn on Larvitar's head sticking out from underground. "Aha! So youse did it! Come here, you!" And he rushed towards Larvitar, but Larvitar was too quick and dodged him.

Then Larvitar rammed its hard horn into Taz's bottom, causing him to scream out in pain.

At that very moment, the three Arcanine had blasted through the trailer door with their Flamethrower attacks and tackled their way out.

Just then, Tristan and the others arrived on the scene.

Keegan and Ramona were happy that the Arcanine had escaped the truck and embraced them.

Tristan and Hillary were happy for their reunion.

"Great job, Larvitar. You, too, Heracross," commended Tristan.

Larvitar and Heracross gave a nod and a happy reply.

Then Tristan and Hillary turned their attention to Taz.

"You're cornered, Taz, so give it up!" demanded Hillary.

"Never!" replied Taz. "If you want me, then come and get me!" He then took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

His Magmar made another appearance.

"If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one!" said Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Squirtle!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"That's just fine with me," said Tristan as he took out his Lure Ball and threw it. "Totodile, I choose you!"

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So you wanna play hard ball, do you?" growled Taz. "Magmar, Flamethrower attack now!"

Magmar unleashed a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Totodile and Squirtle.

"Totodile, use your Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

"You, too, Squirtle!" ordered Hillary.

Both Pokémon shot powerful blasts of water from their mouths at the approaching Flamethrower, successfully knocking it back and scoring a direct hit on Magmar in the process.

"That's a bulls-eye!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Way to go!" added Hillary.

Totodile and Squirtle gave each other high-fives.

"Oh, yeah? Magmar, give 'em your best Smokescreen!" ordered Taz.

Magmar shot another gray cloud of smoke toward Tristan and his friends, who couldn't see what was going on.

Then Taz started speeding off again as the tires screeched.

"He's gonna get away again!" grunted Ramona.

"We'll never catch him through the smoke this way!" added Hillary.

Suddenly, Keegan's Arcanine came to Tristan.

"What's up, Arcanine?" asked Tristan.

"I think Arcanine wants you to go with it," replied Keegan. "Isn't that right, Arky?"

The Arcanine gave a nod.

Tristan, Totodile, and Pikachu leaped onto Arcanine's back. "All right, let's go get Taz!"

_(Music Cue: OK! Orchestra and Guitar as heard in ("You're a Star, Larvitar"))_

And together, they took off to catch him.

"Do you think Tristan can handle riding Arcanine after falling off on his first try?" asked Hillary.

"You know, I have a feeling that he will be just fine," replied Ramona. "He's got determination, and he knows he can do it."

"Why don't we follow?" suggested Keegan. "I wanna see the action!"

"All right, let's hurry!" agreed Ramona as she, Keegan, and Hillary got on the other two Arcanine and followed Tristan.

Meanwhile, just ahead, Tristan remembered the tips that Keegan had given him earlier in the day as he chased after Taz. Then he saw that he was closing in on the truck.

Taz saw Tristan, his Pokémon, and Arcanine following him. "So you wanna race, huh? Okay, youse got it!" And he accelerated the speed inside the truck, causing him to drift further and further away.

"All right, Arcanine, do you think you can catch up to the truck?" asked Tristan.

Arcanine gave a hard nod.

"Okay, go!" shouted Tristan as he, Pikachu, and Totodile held on as tightly as they could.

At that instant, Arcanine ran faster and faster, causing its legs to become a blur. It was using ExtremeSpeed.

Taz was getting frustrated. "Aargh! Is there no way to lose that kid?"

"Go, Arcanine!" cried Tristan.

And Arcanine made such a big jump that it flew over the truck and landed in front of it. It then came to a stop, causing Taz to slam on the brakes and screech to a halt.

"That's as far as you're gonna get, Taz!" said Tristan as Taz stepped out.

"You think so, huh? Go get 'em, Magmar!" ordered Taz.

Magmar lunged forward and prepared to attack.

"Totodile, Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile leaped off of Arcanine and shot a powerful blast of water, scoring a direct hit on Magmar, and knocking it into Taz.

Taz struggled in vain to lift Magmar off of him. "Get off me!" he strained. But he didn't strain for long for he saw Pikachu right in front of him with electricity sizzling from its cheeks.

Tristan stared at Taz with sheer determination.

"I don't think you enjoyed my fake ice cream trick, did you?" said Taz.

"Tricking me out of ice cream is one thing, but when it comes to stealing Pokémon, that's crossing the line," said Tristan. "Give him a good Thunderbolt lesson, Pikachu!"

Pikachu leaped up and shot a powerful bolt of electricity at Taz and Magmar, scoring a direct hit and causing the truck to explode, sending Taz and Magmar skyward.

"I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE MESSED WITH YOUSE!" screamed Taz as he and Magmar blasted off into the sky.

_DING!_

"Thanks for the ride, Arcanine," said Tristan. "Without you, we would've never been able to catch Taz."

Arcanine nuzzled Tristan with affection, giving him a good chuckle.

Just then, Hillary, Keegan, and Ramona arrived on the scene. "Tristan, here we are!"

"Hey, guys!" said Tristan. "You should've seen Arcanine and me together. We were in perfect sync!"

Arcanine nodded.

"I knew you could do it, Tristan," smiled Ramona.

"Well, I couldn't have done it without Keegan's advice," replied Tristan. "So I owe you a thank-you, Keegan."

"Aw, don't mention it," said Keegan.

"We'd better hurry if we want to get those Fire Stones delivered," reminded Hillary.

"Let's go," agreed Tristan.

* * *

By nightfall, everyone delivered the Fire Stones safely to their destination.

The manager was waiting for him. "Thank you for bringing us those Fire Stones. I was wondering if you were going to make it in time. Did you have any problems getting here?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," replied Ramona.

"Tristan and Hillary were a big help," added Keegan.

"It wasn't much," said Tristan sheepishly. "Although, we should be thanking you for letting us ride the Arcanine."

Keegan was a little puzzled.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"Your pointers helped me learn how to handle riding an Arcanine," explained Tristan. "I realize that I have to be in perfect sync with any Pokémon I work with, whether it's one of my own Pokémon or somebody else's. And that's a lesson everyone should learn."

"Well said, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

Tristan walked over to Keegan's Arcanine. "I should thank you, too, Arcanine. If it hadn't been for you, I never would've been able to ride at ExtremeSpeed like I did before."

Arky gave him a lick, causing him to laugh.

Everyone else gave a good laugh as well.

* * *

The next morning, Keegan, Ramona, and the three Arcanine said their goodbyes.

"I'm sorry we can't stay for the Fire Pokémon Tournament," said Ramona. "But we have more deliveries to make."

"We appreciate you getting us here, Ramona," replied Hillary. "Now I'll be able to put my Cyndaquil's firepower to the test."

"And my Quilava, too," added Tristan. "Keegan, take good care of Arky, okay?"

"I will," said Keegan. "And you take care of each other."

"Good luck in the tournament," smiled Ramona.

"Thanks," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

And in no time, Ramona and Keegan rode off as the three Arcanine quickly raced away.

"This just goes to show that there's always a lot to learn about Pokémon," said Hillary.

Tristan silently agreed.

* * *

_I couldn't have said that better myself, Hillary. But don't forget to register for the Fire Pokémon Tournament, for this one guarantees your memory of it will burn for a long time to come._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	55. HILLARY ON FIRE!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 55 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I've decided to have Macy and Egan, two characters on _Pokémon: Master Quest _join the fray in this chapter. Egan, as you know, proclaims himself as the hotheaded prince of fire while Macy is working to compete in the Johto League. We see her there, but maybe nobody knows what she does before then. Anyway, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary participate in the Fire Pokémon Tournament, but it's no bed of roses when several tough Trainers like Egan and Macy, and one villain like Taz enter the fray!**

**Chapter 55: HILLARY ON FIRE!**

_(Music Cue: Opening & Title (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))_

_Last time, our heroes were still on the road to Olivine City and Tristan's fifth Gym Battle, but they were completely exhausted and desperately needed a rest from walking for so long. Fortunately, they met Keegan and Ramona, two Trainers who operated a delivery business and offered them a ride on their Arcanine. But soon, Taz came along disguised as an ice cream man, offering the Arcanine the first lick. However, it was actually a trap to capture the Arcanine and the Fire Stones. But thanks to some first-class teamwork by Heracross and Larvitar, they managed to stall him long enough for the Arcanine to escape. _

_Taz tried to escape again through Magmar's Smokescreen; however, after taking some Arcanine riding lessons from Keegan, Tristan and Arcanine worked together and defeated him._

_Now, our heroes are excited about the upcoming Fire Pokémon Tournament, with Hillary planning to use her Cyndaquil and Tristan putting his hopes on Quilava. Now they'll be up against countless Trainers as they prepare to compete in the tournament. Which of them will emerge victorious?_

* * *

Tristan and Hillary quickly got themselves registered for the tournament.

"Let's both give it our all," said Tristan. "What do you say, sis?"

"You bet," agreed Hillary. "And may the best Trainer win."

Pikachu and Togepi were about to agree when suddenly...

"AAAAH!"

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Did you hear that, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

Tristan nodded. "We'd better check it out."

And off they dashed posthaste.

* * *

A familiar bearded man had stolen a Cyndaquil from a girl's possession, and was speeding away on his motorcycle. Yes, it was Taz, the man who always caused Tristan and Hillary trouble.

"Give back my Cyndaquil, you creep!" yelled the girl abrasively.

"Ha!" laughed Taz. "Sorry, kid, but since yesterday, I happen to be on fire because I always learn from my mistakes."

Just then, Tristan and Hillary arrived on the scene.

"Hey, kid, what happened?" asked Hillary.

"That guy's got my Cyndaquil!" cried the girl.

Tristan took one quick look. "It's Taz. I knew it." He took out his Fast Ball and threw it. "Quilava, I choose you!"

Quilava emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Quilava, catch up to that motorcycle using Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Quilava ignited the flames on its forehead and back end and ran as fast as it could as a white line streaked behind it, surprising Taz.

"Now use your Flamethrower attack!" shouted Tristan.

Quilava shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Taz.

"Hot! Hot! HOT!" cried Taz.

His being on fire caused him to lose his balance and fall off and crash his motorcycle, sending Cyndaquil flying back to the girl.

"Cyndaquil," said the girl as she gently stroked it. "Are you okay?"

Her Cyndaquil gave a nod.

Taz picked himself up and grumbled just as Tristan, Hillary, and the girl arrived. "Youse got some nerve crashing my capture!"

"Cyndaquil's not yours and you know it!" retorted the girl.

"Oh, yeah? We'll just see about that!" replied Taz.

"Quilava, hit him with another Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan.

Quilava shot another powerful blast of fire from its mouth at Taz, scoring such a huge direct hit that it caused an explosion sending him skyward.

"Looks like I flamed out again!" screamed Taz as he disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"That's what you get for playing with fire!" called Tristan.

"Next time you decide to steal another Fire Pokémon, learn to stop, drop, and roll first!" added Hillary.

They both then turned to the girl.

"Thank you for saving my Cyndaquil," said the girl. "I'm Macy from Mahogany Town."

"We were just glad we could help," said Tristan. "I'm Tristan, and this is my sister Hillary."

"Hello there," added Hillary. "It's nice to meet you."

Pikachu and Togepi introduced themselves.

"I was planning to use my Cyndaquil in the Fire Pokémon Tournament," explained Macy. "But Taz decided to scare it out of its wits so he could steal it. After what happened, I can't blame it for not wanting to participate."

"We're sorry to hear that, Macy," said Tristan.

"So, does this mean you're not gonna participate now?" asked Hillary with concern.

"Nope, not even close," replied Macy, who instantly cheered up. "I have plenty more Fire Pokémon to use than just my Cyndaquil. And they're just as good if not better. You see, I live and breathe Fire Pokémon!"

"That's the spirit, Macy!" said Tristan.

"What about you two? Are you planning on entering?"

"We are," answered Hillary. "Don't expect us to go easy when we compete."

"Ha! Easy is for the weak!" said a voice.

Everyone turned around to see a boy with red hair standing right behind them. He had on a maroon shirt, a red vest, and was wearing shorts.

"And who might you be?" asked Hillary.

"Call me Egan, the Prince of Fire!" said the boy.

"The prince?" murmured Tristan, Hillary, and Macy together.

"Listen, you," said Macy. "If anyone's the best with Fire Pokémon, it's me!"

"Dream on, Miss Pigtails," retorted Egan. "If you're gullible enough to let your Cyndaquil get captured by a thug like him, then you're nothing but a loser."

"What did you say?!"

"You heard me!"

Tristan tried to break up the fight. "Now, now, let's simmer down before someone crashes and burns."

Macy and Egan turned their backs on each other.

"I can battle washed up Trainers like you any day," smirked Egan. He turned to Hillary. "And you, don't think that I'll go any easier on you than with that girl."

"Bring it on," replied Hillary.

Egan walked away.

Macy was steamed. "The nerve of that kid! Who does he think he is, butting into my business?"

"I don't care who he is," said Hillary. "I just want to do my best and have fun in this tournament."

"Me, too," agreed Tristan.

Little did they know that Taz had watched from afar after blasting off, and soon decided to enter the competition, too.

* * *

An hour later, the stadium was filled to capacity with fans.

An announcer began his speech. "Welcome. Welcome, one and all, to the Fire Pokémon Tournament. We see a group of hot competitors eager to battle it out today, so let's give 'em a big hand!"

The audience cheered and applauded as the Trainers came into the stadium one by one.

"As you know, we had a successful Fire Pokémon Tournament just weeks ago," continued the announcer. "So we decided to bring it back here for one day only. And the prize is...you guessed it...a collection of Fire Stones."

_Grandma would be pleased if she had those, _thought Tristan to himself.

"Trainers have come from near and far to show off their fiery spirit," said the announcer. "So show great teamwork, and let's set this place on fire!"

And everyone cheered.

* * *

The first match pitted Tristan against another Trainer.

A referee was ready to judge the match as the announcer commentated. "Tristan from New Bark Town has chosen Quilava while his opponent has chosen Growlithe to start things off."

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee.

"Let's go get 'em, Growlithe! Start off with a Flamethrower attack!" instructed the Trainer.

Growlithe charged in and proceeded to blast Quilava with a stream of fire.

"Quilava, charge into the flames and use your Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Quilava sped through the flames as a white line streaked behind it. Then it rammed into Growlite, scoring a clean hit.

"Now use your Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Thanks to Growlithe's Flamethrower, Quilava's own Flamethrower got a boost in firepower, scoring a huge direct hit on Growlithe and knocking it out instantly, much to Hillary's surprise.

"Growlithe is unable to battle...Quilava's the winner!" declared the referee as he raised the green flag into the air.

"Well done, Quilava," commended Tristan as the crowd cheered.

Hillary was still flabbergasted. "That was awesome! I know that Quilava's strong, but not that strong. Tristan's a strong competitor, so I'd better watch out."

* * *

The second match pitted Macy against Egan.

"Go, Slugma, I choose you!" shouted Macy as she threw her Poké Ball.

A red limbless Pokémon composed of magma emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Who's that Pokémon?" wondered Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

_"Slugma, the Lava Pokémon. A common sight in volcanic areas, this Pokémon slowly slithers around constantly searching for warm places."_

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival theme (as heard in "The Grass Route"))_

"I choose Flareon!" shouted Egan as he threw his Poké Ball.

A mammalian quadruped Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had red fur as well as a fluffy yellow tail. Fluffy yellow fur made a small tuft on its forehead, and surrounded its mane around its chest and neck.

"So that's what a Flareon looks like," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Flareon, the Flame Pokémon. Flareon stores a lot of heat in its body, allowing its body temperature to rise to 3,000 degrees. Flareon evolves from an Eevee when exposed to a Fire Stone."_

"Now, for the second match," said the announcer. "Macy from Mahogany Town will be using her Slugma while Egan will be using his Flareon."

"I hope Macy knows what she's up against," said Hillary nervously. "That Flareon looks pretty tough; it could flatten that little Slugma if she's not careful."

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee as he raised his flags in the air.

"Slugma, Flamethrower!" commanded Macy.

Slugma shot a powerful blast of fire at Flareon.

"Flareon, dodge it using Quick Attack!" ordered Egan.

Flareon quickly went from side to side, dodging every Flamethrower Slugma threw its way.

"Now, Flareon, counter with your Flamethrower!" instructed Egan.

Flareon shot a stream of fire directly at Slugma.

"Oh, yeah? Slugma, use Double Team!" commanded Macy.

Slugma quickly made illusory copies of itself, allowing it to evade Flareon's Flamethrower.

Egan began to get frustrated. "Using a move like that is a loser's way to battle, you know!"

"So what?" retorted Macy. "I've got tons of defenses for almost any attack!"

"Do you think Macy will win?" asked Tristan.

"It's tough to say for sure," replied Hillary. "But so far, Macy's holding her own against Flareon."

"Slugma, use Body Slam!" ordered Macy.

Slugma jumped high into the air and proceeded to land on Flareon.

"Flareon, Flame Wheel attack, let's go!" shouted Egan.

Flareon surrounded itself in flames just as Slugma got within striking distance. Then it jumped into the air and scored a hit on Slugma, sending it flying.

Slugma had taken major damage not only due to Flareon's mass, but the flames that surrounded it.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"Now finish this thing with Flamethrower!" commanded Egan.

Flareon shot a powerful stream of fire at Slugma, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Slugma, no!" cried Macy.

Slugma collapsed on the ground; it had been knocked out.

"Slugma is unable to battle; Flareon is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his flag in Egan's direction.

"A hot battle to be sure," said the announcer as the crowd cheered. "Egan and Flareon move past Macy and proceed to the next round."

Macy came to her defeated Slugma. "Slugma, you were great. Take a good, long rest." And she returned Slugma to its Poké Ball.

"Well, that definitely cooled you off," smirked Egan.

"Hey, I don't need your remarks!" retorted Macy. "The only thing I care about is my Pokémon's health. I'm sure that deep down, you do, too. Now don't let this victory go to your head, kid, because there's a long way to go."

Egan turned his back on Macy and walked away.

Tristan and Hillary saw the heated exchange.

"What an attitude," said Tristan. "He's obviously got a hot temper."

"You can say that again," agreed Hillary. "He's acting like a bad winner."

"Well, you're up next, sis," said Tristan. "Show them what you've got."

"I'll do my best," replied Hillary.

* * *

As Tristan watched with Pikachu and Togepi in the stands, Hillary took a few deep breaths as she and her Cyndaquil waited for the battle to begin.

_(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

Presently, a mysterious man came out. He was smartly dressed and clean shaven.

Little did everyone know that it was really Taz in disguise.

The announcer began to speak again. "Hillary now prepares to battle another Trainer, who is shrouded in mystery. But the name strikes fear into scores of people who dare to face him.`Now, ladies and gentlemen, here comes Hillary's opponent: the mysterious Trainer known as Tazmania.

_Tazmania? Now that's a weird name, _thought Tristan.

Suddenly, Cyndaquil began to glare at the disguised Taz, and ignited its flame so much that it nearly knocked Hillary off her feet.

"Whoa, what's the matter, Cyndaquil?" asked Hillary, who became much alarmed.

Cyndaquil continued to glare at the disguised Taz.

"That's strange," said Tristan. "I've never seen Hillary's Cyndaquil tense up like that before."

Pikachu and Togepi were as confused as Tristan was.

Just then, Macy appeared beside him. "What's going on?"

"It's Hillary's Cyndaquil," answered Tristan. "It's flaring up like crazy." The he thought, _If Cyndaquil's that angry at something, there must be someone threatening somewhere nearby, _thought Tristan as he eyed the newcomer suspiciously. _I hope Hillary knows what she's up against...or who she's up against. _Then he shouted, "Hillary, this Trainer may not be who you think he is! There may be more at stake than you know!"

_Tristan's right, _thought Hillary. _I don't trust that guy, whoever he is._

_May the best Trainer win,_ thought Taz evilly. _And when I do, that puny Cyndaquil and all the rest of your Pokémon AND those Fire Stones will be all mine. Hahahaha._ Then he took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Magmar!"

Taz's Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Both Trainers have made their picks," said the announcer. "Hillary has chosen Cyndaquil while Tazmania has chosen Magmar."

_I have to win this, _thought Hillary. _And I will. With Cyndaquil on my side, there's no way we'll lose._

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee as he raised his red and green flags in the air.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

"Go, Magmar, Fire Punch now!" shouted Taz.

Magmar clenched its fists as they were surrounded in flames and prepared to deliver Cyndaquil a fiery punch.

"Cyndaquil, dodge the punches using Quick Attack!" instructed Hillary.

Cyndaquil moved from side to side as Magmar threw one fiery punch after another at it.

"Ha! Not bad, kid, but you're still no match for us," said Taz. "Magmar, use your Smokescreen!"

Magmar unleashed a thick, gray cloud of smoke from its mouth, enveloping Cyndaquil in it.

Hillary couldn't see anything through the smoke, not even her own Cyndaquil. She frantically looked for Magmar until suddenly...

"Flamethrower!"

Without warning, Magmar used its Flamethrower attack to make the effects of its Smokescreen attack explosive, causing Cyndaquil to take most of the damage, much to Hillary's shock.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Macy.

"You're right," agreed Tristan. "As long as Magmar uses that combination, Hillary and Cyndaquil will have a very difficult time defeating that Trainer. She has to come up with something in a hurry, or she and Cyndaquil will be toast."

Pikachu and Togepi cheered as loudly as they could for Hillary and Cyndaquil.

The Flamethrower Smokescreen combination soon cleared up as Cyndaquil struggled to its feet.

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil," encouraged Hillary. "You can do it."

"All right, Magmar, let's do it again," said Taz. "Use your Smokescreen attack one more time."

Once again, Magmar shot another thick, gray cloud of smoke enveloping Cyndaquil in it.

_Now's my chance, _thought Hillary. _If I can rush into the smoke quickly enough, maybe I can stop Magmar from using its Flamethrower attack. _Then she shouted, "Cyndaquil, charge into the smoke!"

Cyndaquil rushed into the smoke on all fours as fast as it could.

Taz was confused. _What's that pipsqueak doing? Ah, it doesn't matter. My Magmar will burn it to smithereens again just like it did last time. _Then he commanded, "Flamethrower!"

"Quick Attack now!" shouted Hillary.

And Cyndaquil quickly rammed into Magmar before it had an opportunity to use its Flamethrower attack on the smoke again.

"Magmar!" cried Taz.

Magmar was now out in the open again, especially after being attacked.

"All right, it worked!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Magmar's been exposed!" added Macy.

"All right, Cyndaquil, this is our big chance!" said Hillary. "Use your Flamethrower attack at maximum power!"

Cyndaquil increased the flame on its tail and shot its most powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Magmar.

"Oh, yeah? I'll show you power!" shouted Taz. "Magmar, show that half-pint a Flamethrower attack she'll never forget!"

Magmar shot its most powerful stream of fire from its mouth yet, and sure enough, both Flamethrower attacks collided.

"Come on, Cyndaquil, you can do it!" shouted Tristan.

"Yeah, show that Magmar how hot you really are!" added Macy.

Pikachu and Togepi continued to cheer loudly for Hillary and Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil continued to put all its heart into building its fire.

Unfortunately for Magmar, it used up too much power after using so many Flamethrower attacks, and soon, Cyndaquil's Flamethrower overpowered it, scoring a direct hit on it in the process.

"No, this can't be!" gasped Taz as lingering embers got on his disguise,

Magmar toppled onto the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Magmar is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

"Cyndaquil, we did it!" cried Hillary excitedly.

Cyndaquil squealed with delight as it ran into Hillary's arms.

"You were awesome," commended Hillary.

Cyndaquil gave a happy reply.

Taz, however, was steamed at his loss, but not for long, though, for after the embers got on his clothes, they burned away, revealing his true identity.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Perfect Match"))_

Tristan and Macy were both shocked.

"It's Taz!" exclaimed Tristan.

"That explains Cyndaquil's behavior earlier," added Macy.

"I should've known it was you all along, Taz," fumed Hillary. "You simply must stop making my Cyndaquil mad."

"Who asked youse?!" retorted Taz. "Now I'm gonna take your Cyndaquil and your Pokémon!" And he and Magmar rushed over and both tried to grab Cyndaquil out of Hillary's hands.

"Hillary, watch out!" cried Tristan.

Hillary quickly jumped out of the way. "What nerve!" exclaimed Hillary. "How dare you try and steal Cyndaquil away from me! All right, Cyndaquil, hit 'em with your Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil leaped out of Hillary's hands and shot a powerful stream of fire at Taz and Magmar, scoring such a huge direct hit on them that it caused an explosion, sending them skyward.

"NOT AGAIN!" screamed Taz as he and Magmar blasted off into the sky.

_DING!_

"Way to go!" cried Tristan and Macy as Pikachu, Togepi, and the audience cheered and applauded.

* * *

As the tournament progressed, Tristan and Hillary attained one victory after another, and so did Egan, making their way to the semifinals.

In the first semifinal match, Hillary won handily against a Trainer and his Charmander.

The second semifinal match pitted Tristan against Egan.

"Good luck, Tristan," said Hillary. "I hope to battle you again in the final match."

"Same here, sis," replied Tristan as he made his way to the stadium where Egan was waiting.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

"Well, I'm glad you made it, Tristan," smirked Egan. "Because now I have a chance to turn the heat up on you."

"I wouldn't gloat just yet, Egan," replied Tristan. "There's still a long way to go before the Fire Stones are won." He took out his Fast Ball and threw it. "Quilava, I choose you!"

"Flareon, let's get busy!" shouted Egan as he threw his Poké Ball.

Quilava and Flareon both emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"This semifinal match will decide who faces Hillary in the finals," said the announcer. "It's Tristan and his Quilava against Egan and his Flareon."

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee as he raised his two flags in the air.

"Quilava, Flamethrower!" shouted Tristan.

Quilava ignited the flames and shot a powerful stream of fire at Flareon.

"Flareon, use your Flamethrower, too!" ordered Egan.

Flareon, too, shot a powerful stream of fire.

Both attacks had collided, causing both Pokémon to fight for control of the battle.

"You can do it, Quilava!" encouraged Tristan.

"Show it who's boss, Flareon!" shouted Egan.

Both Pokémon continued to push each other's Flamethrower back, but so far, they were evenly matched.

Hillary and Macy were anxiously watching.

"Do you think Quilava has a chance, Hillary?" asked Macy.

"Knowing Tristan, it always has a chance," answered Hillary. "He's put a lot of hard work into raising his Quilava. Although, I must admit that Egan's raised his Flareon well, too. It's hard to know who will come out on top in this match."

Sure enough, both Pokémon were still going at it.

"All right, this is getting us nowhere," said Egan. "Flareon, let's show it your Flame Wheel now!"

Flareon stopped its Flamethrower attack, dodged Quilava's, and charged straight toward Quilava as flames surrounded it.

"Now what?" gasped Tristan.

Flareon's Flame Wheel collided with Quilava, scoring a direct hit on it and sending it crashing to the ground.

"Stay strong, Quilava!" encouraged Tristan. "Hang in there!"

Quilava managed to get back on its feet.

Flareon, let's finish this up with Flamethrower!" commanded Egan.

Flareon shot a stream of fire at Quilava.

"Quilava, jump and use your Smokescreen attack!" ordered Tristan.

Quilava jumped high into the air and shot a thick, black cloud of smoke down towards Flareon.

Now it was Egan's turn to look for Quilava. "I can't see a thing through this smoke."

"Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

Flareon had been hit and knocked out of the Smokescreen, much to Egan's shock.

"Flareon!" cried Egan.

"That sure hit the mark!" said Macy excitedly.

Hillary nodded in agreement. "If Tristan can just keep this up, he'll beat Egan."

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Tristan.

"All right, Quilava, it's your turn to finish things off now," said Tristan. "Let's give Flareon another Smokescreen attack."

Quilava proceeded to shoot another gray cloud of thick, black smoke at Flareon.

But Egan wasn't having it. "I won't fall for that again. Flareon, Quick Attack now!"

Flareon moved quickly from side to side before ramming into a surprised Quilava.

"Quilava, hang on!" cried Tristan.

"Finish it up with Flamethrower!" shouted Egan.

Flareon shot a powerful stream of fire at Quilava, scoring a direct hit on it, causing Hillary and Macy to both gasp in shock.

"Quilava's been hit!" exclaimed Macy.

Quilava collapsed on the ground; it had been knocked out.

"Quilava is unable to battle...Flareon is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in Egan's direction.

"Folks, Quilava was defeated by Flareon," said the announceras the crowd cheered and applauded "and now Egan will proceed to the final round."

"Ha!" laughed Egan. "I guess you should've known not to play with fire, especially when it's my fire."

Tristan came to the defeated Quilava and gently held its head in its hands. "Are you okay, Quilava?"

Quilava gave a weak reply.

"You did a great job," said Tristan. "You deserve a nice, long rest." He returned Quilava to its ball. He then turned to Hillary and thought, _All right, Hillary, Egan and his Flareon are going to be tough to beat, so it's up to you now._

"Poor Tristan," said Macy. "He's worked so hard to get this far."

"Yes," agreed Hillary. "But in his heart, he knows he's a great Trainer worthy of those Fire Stones. And now it's my turn to help him."

Macy nodded in agreement. "Go get him, Hillary."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Talkin' 'bout an Evolution"))_

A few moments later, Hillary and Egan faced each other on the battlefield.

"Go, Cyndaquil, I choose you!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

"Flareon, let's go!" shouted Egan as he threw his.

Both Pokémon emerged from the white lights that shot out of them and faced each other warily.

"Well, folks, this is it!" said the announcer. "Whoever wins this match wins this sack of Fire Stones. The final match pits Hillary and her Cyndaquil against Egan and his Flareon."

"Do you think Hillary's gonna win?" asked Macy.

"I'm not sure," answered Tristan. "But one thing I am sure about is that Hillary will give it her all."

"Ready...begin!" shouted the referee as he raised his flags in the air.

"Go, Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!" commanded Hillary.

"Flareon, Quick Attack!" ordered Egan.

Cyndaquil shot a powerful stream of fire while Flareon quickly dodged and rammed into Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Hillary.

"This is not good," said Tristan nervously. "Hillary's gotta get Cyndaquil back in the battle."

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil!" shouted Macy.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered loudly for Hillary.

"Come on, Cyndaquil, I know you can do it!" encouraged Hillary. "Show him how tough you are!"

Cyndaquil struggled back to its feet.

"Cyndaquil's at a huge disadvantage," said Tristan.

"What do you mean, Tristan?" asked Macy.

"Cyndaquil not only hasn't evolved yet, but it's smaller in size, and Flareon could easily beat it," explained Tristan. "But maybe Hillary can use Cyndaquil's size and speed to her advantage."

"Okay, Flareon, let's not draw this out any longer," said Egan. "Let's finish this thing up with Flamethrower!"

Flareon shot a powerful blast of fire at Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, dodge it using Quick Attack now!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil jumped out of the way as a white line streaked behind it, causing Flamethrower to miss it.

"Flareon, you've gotta try and hit it again!" ordered Egan.

Flareon attacked with its Flamethrower again, and again, and again, but every time, Cyndaquil dodged every one of them using Quick Attack.

"Come on, no fair!" complained Egan.

"Aha!" said Macy. "I see what you mean now."

"Yes, but Cyndaquil can't just keep dodging forever," remarked Tristan. "Hillary has to come up with a way to use that speed to fight back somehow."

Flareon had gotten tired out, but unfortunately, so had Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, our only chance to win is if we battle with all our hearts," said Hillary. "Think you can do it?"

Cyndaquil gave a nod.

_(Music Cue: The Day is Conquered! (as heard in "Hot Matches"))_

"Flareon, finish it up now with Flamethrower!" ordered Egan.

Flareon shot its most powerful stream of fire at Cyndaquil.

"All right, Cyndaquil, do whatever it takes to stop it!" shouted Hillary.

Cyndaquil ignited the flame on its back even more. Then it took a deep breath and exhaled a blast of fire that looked like a star.

Everyone was surprised by this, especially Hillary.

"What's that?" asked Macy.

"Amazing, that's what!" gasped Tristan. "Cyndaquil just learned how to use Fire Blast!"

"Now that's hot!" remarked Macy.

"Awesome, Cyndaquil, you learned Fire Blast!" commended Hillary.

Sure enough, that was the attack Cyndaquil was using, and pushed back against Flareon's Flamethrower.

"Flareon, push harder!" shouted Egan.

And Flareon did just that, but unfortunately, the strain of turning it up got it more and more exhausted.

Sure enough, Fire Blast successfully pushed back against Flareon's Flamethrower and scored a huge direct hit on it.

"Flareon, hang on!" exclaimed Egan.

"Now's our chance, Cyndaquil!" shouted Hillary. "Use your Quick Attack at full speed now!"

Cyndaquil ran as fast as it could as a white line trailed behind it, and scored another direct hit on Flareon, sending it soaring.

"Flareon!" cried Egan.

Seconds after Flareon was sent skyward, it soon reappeared and crashed to the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes; it had been knocked out.

"Flareon is unable to battle...Cyndaquil is the tournament winner!" declared the referee.

The crowd cheered and applauded as the announcer said, "An impressive victory by young Hillary and her Cyndaquil, having learned Fire Blast in the process."

"Way to go, Hillary!" cheered Tristan.

"Congratulations!" added Macy. "You were great!"

Hillary stood bewildered at the turn of events. Then she smiled.

Flareon was shocked, but soon cheered up and came to Flareon. "Great job, Flareon. You deserve a good rest." And he returned Flareon to its Poké Ball and came to Hillary. "I guess I shouldn't have underestimated you, Hillary. That Fire Blast attack was something I never expected. I hate to admit it, but you raised your Cyndaquil better than I thought you had. You deserve to win" And he offered a handshake to Hillary.

"Thanks, Egan," replied Hillary as she shook his hand. "Your Flareon wasn't bad, either."

"I guess I got too worked up in that battle," Egan faltered. "I'll remember not to do that in the future, although it's a hard thing for me to overcome."

* * *

A short time later, all the competitors and the judges came onto the battlefield to congratulated Hillary.

"And so, in recognition of her victory," said the announcer, "Hillary wins this sack of Fire Stones and the admiration of this crowd."

The audience continued to cheer and applauded as Hillary smiled and waved.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

"That was great, Hillary," said Tristan later that evening. "That Fire Blast attack was something to see. I'm almost jealous."

"Well, I have you to thank, too, you know," replied Hillary. "I mean besides Cyndaquil."

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan.

"You helped me become a great Trainer already," explained Hillary. "And I always help you on your journey. That's what I call teamwork."

"You're right, sis," smiled Tristan. "We do make a pretty good team, don't we?"

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly nodded in agreement.

"I'm gonna train harder and get stronger," said Macy. "Hey, Hillary, I'd like to have a rematch with you someday, if you'd like."

"I'd like that," replied Hillary.

"And Egan, try not to get to heated up in your battles coming up, okay?" said Tristan.

"I'll try, but I wouldn't push it," replied Egan.

And a moment later, Egan and Macy said their goodbyes and headed off.

Tristan then saw Hillary gift-wrapping the Fire Stones. "You're gonna send them back home, sis?"

Hillary nodded. "I don't want to carry those Fire Stones all the way to Olivine City. Besides, we still have eggs to hatch, remember?"

"Good point," replied Tristan. "I wonder when those eggs Ho-Oh gave us are gonna hatch." The he thought, _I just hope they're as friendly as Lugia was when it first hatched._

* * *

_And so, Hillary wins the Fire Pokémon Tournament, claiming the sack of Fire Stones as her physical prize, but the real prize of the day was Cyndaquil's new Fire Blast. Now it's on to Ecruteak City with thoughts of more exciting adventures and the time it takes for the two eggs to hatch. Of course, that's exciting all by itself!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	56. HATCHING RAINBOW LEGENDS, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 56 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I've decided to base this chapter partly on some parts of the book called _The Dragon's Child _by Jenny Nimmo because as you know Dando the dragon couldn't fly at first. You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter. Feel free to leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary's eggs hatch, but Butch and Cassidy from Team Rocket attempt to capture them. The Ho-Oh that visited them in Ecruteak City decides that it's time to take them away for their own safety, but when they fall out of the sky, it's up to Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and a familiar friend to work together and rescue them!**

**Chapter 56: HATCHING RAINBOW LEGENDS, PART 1**

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

It was the middle of the night, and Tristan and Hillary were camping out at a lakeside camp with Pikachu and Togepi. They had all fallen fast asleep hours before. The night was clear and the breeze was calm as the moon shone brightly.

Suddenly, Tristan's backpack began to emit a light. At first it was faint, but then it started glowing brighter and brighter.

Tristan slowly opened his eyes and moaned, "Not now, I'm still sleepy." He then turned around to see what he thought was the sun. But when he opened his eyes a little wider, he realized what was happening and gasped in shock. "It's the egg! It's almost time for it to hatch!" He rushed over to Hillary's sleeping bag and nudged her. "Hillary! Hillary! Wake up!"

Hillary moaned and opened her eyes. "What is it now, Tristan? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" Then she saw the bright light in Tristan's bag. "Whoa! Is that the egg that Ho-Oh gave you? I think it might hatch soon!" And she quickly got out of her sleeping bag.

Tristan quickly took the egg out of his backpack and gently set it down on the ground. "It won't be long now."

* * *

_What a special event this is turning out to be! While journeying to Olivine City and Tristan's fifth Gym battle, our heroes awaken to the bright light from one of their eggs that will soon hatch. Does this mean that their time and patience will soon be rewarded with another legendary Pokémon friend? We'll have to find out for ourselves!_

* * *

The sun came up a few hours later.

Tristan's egg was still glowing as everyone watched anxiously.

"This is the most exciting thing I've seen since I first saw Lugia hatch," said Tristan to himself.

"I'll have to agree with you, Tristan, even though I didn't actually see Lugia hatch," replied Hillary.

"But now, we'll both get a chance to see the birth of a Legendary Pokémon together," said Tristan, "which is something we don't see every day, so this is a treat."

"Ho-Oh will be pleased to know that this one will be hatched safely," added Hillary.

Just then, Hillary's egg began to glow brightly as well.

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Hillary. "My egg's glowing, too!"

"Could this be the moment when both Pokémon hatch right before our eyes?" asked Tristan as he and his friends continued to watch the eggs.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Boss Theme)_

Little did they know that two Rocket Grunts were watching them from a nearby forest.

"Are those the eggs that Professor Namba was talking about?" whispered the first one.

"I don't know," replied the second. "They're too far away for me to see. Let me take a look." And he looked through the binoculars, but the eggs were still too far away to see them. "I'll contact Professor Namba." And he did.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a secret hideout, Professor Namba was doing some research for Team Rocket when his radio rang. "What is it?"

"Sir," said the second Rocket Grunt. "We have located two eggs, and we have reason to believe that they're both the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh, but can't confirm that at this time. They are in the custody of two children."

"Very good," replied Professor Namba. "It figures those two kiddies would be the ones with another legendary Pokémon. Keep an eye on them, and make sure the eggs hatch safely. I want to make sure that the prize I want is the prize I'm looking for."

"Understood, sir," said the second Rocket Grunt.

Professor Namba was getting very excited. "If those eggs turn out to be the legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh, we'll have what we need to take over the world. With a powerful legendary Pokémon like Ho-Oh at my disposal, no one will be able to stop me!" And he laughed profusely as he watched the operation about to unfold.

* * *

Back at the camp, Tristan and Hillary's eggs were still glowing as they, Pikachu, and Togepi watched.

Just then, Tristan's egg emitted a shimmering tone.

"This is it!" gasped Tristan as he gently set his egg down on the ground.

Sure enough, it was time for it to hatch. The egg changed shape into a birdlike Pokémon. When the glowing stopped, it looked like an avian Pokémon resembling a phoenix and a peacock. Its feathers were gold and red with yellow tail feathers and green feathers at the tips of its wings, and a green stripe around its neck. It was, in fact, a baby Ho-Oh. It opened its eyes and looked at Tristan.

Tristan and Pikachu were awestruck.

"That's so cool that your egg hatched, Tristan," said Hillary. "And what a cute Ho-Oh this one is, too!"

The little Ho-Oh stretched its wings and gave a yawn. Then it looked into Tristan's eyes.

Tristan smiled as it watched him. Then he took out his Pokédex and scanned Ho-Oh with it.

_"Ho-Oh, the Rainbow Pokémon. Legends believe that Ho-Oh glows in seven colors and continuously flies the world's skies. A rainbow is said to form behind it when it flies. It will reveal itself before Trainers who are pure of heart by shining its rainbow-colored wings."_

"That's awesome," said Tristan.

Presently, Hillary's egg began to emit a shimmering tone, signifying that it was ready to hatch.

Hillary looked at it closely with Tristan looking over her shoulder.

The egg transformed into the same Pokémon Tristan's egg turned into.

It was a Ho-Oh, but its colors were vastly different. Its wings were orange with red tips. It had silver tail feathers and a red stripe around its neck. It opened its eyes and looked at Hillary.

Hillary was so excited. "It's a Ho-Oh of a different color!" she said.

"That's so great, Hillary," smiled Tristan. "I'm almost jealous...but I don't care. Now we can tell the Ho-Oh that visited us that these eggs hatched safely, and we can be friends with them."

"But how can I tell the difference between the one you hatched and the one I hatched...besides the colors, I mean? I don't want to get confused just by calling it by its regular name. So I should think about giving it a nickname."

"That's a good idea," said Tristan. "What name did you have in mind?"

"Maybe I can give it a name like, um...Goldie. Yeah, that's it!"

The Ho-Oh with different colors seemed to like the name as it happily flapped its wings.

"Then that settles it," said Tristan. "Goldie it is." He turned to the Ho-Oh he hatched. "You're perfect just the way you are. I don't need to give you a nickname."

"Suit yourself," replied Hillary. "You don't have to give your Ho-Oh friend a nickname if you don't want to."

Tristan and Hillary smiled as they held the two Ho-Oh high in the air.

"Just think, sis," said Tristan. "Someday, these two will spread their wings and fly in the skies."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "Those two will be two of the best fliers out there."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Meanwhile, the two Team Rocket Grunts were speaking with Professor Namba on the radio.

"The two Pokémon are both Ho-Oh, sir," said the first one. "One of them is a different color."

"That's even rarer than the regular Ho-Oh!" smiled Professor Namba. "All right. It doesn't matter which one you capture, but if you can capture the Ho-Oh of a different color, there's an extra bonus in it for you. Move in and capture them at once!"

"Yes, sir!" said the Rocket Grunts.

* * *

"We should tell Ho-Oh right away," said Tristan. "I mean the big one that visited us in Ecruteak City."

"But we don't even know where it is now," said Hillary. "How are we supposed to find it?"

Suddenly a Flamethrower attack came out of nowhere, and Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends were forced to dodge it.

They saw a Houndour growling fiercely at them.

"Hey, what's going on?!" demanded Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Motto 1999 (as heard in "Revelation Lugia"))_

"It's time for you to prepare for trouble."

"But we decided to make it double."

Tristan and Hillary knew who those voices belonged to as two people appeared behind them.

"I'll betcha that's Team Rocket!" said Tristan disdainfully.

"To infect the world with devastation."

"To blight all peoples in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love."

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy."

"And Butch, of course."

"We're Team Rocket circling Earth all day and night."

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight, fight, fight."

"Raticate!" chimed their Raticate as it proudly stood between Butch and Cassidy.

"Batch and Cassidy!" exclaimed Hillary.

Butch became upset. "Aargh! Can't you get my name right?! It's Butch, not Batch!"

"We really appreciate you hatching those baby Ho-Oh for us," smiled Cassidy. "Now hand them over."

"Never!" replied Hillary.

"Then you leave us no choice," said Butch as he took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Hitmontop!"

_(Music Cue: Legendary Birds Freed (second part (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia")))_

Butch's Hitmontop emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"You go, too, Houndour," said Cassidy.

Houndour came closer to Tristan and Hillary.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Yes. Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Lure Ball.

"Go, Squirtle! Help Totodile!" added Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Both Totodile and Squirtle emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Houndour, Flamethrower!" ordered Cassidy.

Houndour shot a stream of fire from its mouth directly at Totodile.

"Totodile, Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Houndour, successfully pushing it back and scoring a direct hit on it in the process.

"Nice move, Tristan!" commended Hillary.

"Thank you," replied Tristan.

"Hitmontop, Rapid Spin!" yelled Butch.

Hitmontop did a headstand and spun directly at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use your Rapid Spin!" instructed Hillary.

Squirtle shrunk into its shell and spun at a high speed directly toward Hitmontop.

Faster and faster the two Pokémon went until they collided into one another.

Unfortunately, Squirtle's size was too small to push back against Hitmontop, and as a result after trying to push Hitmontop back, it had been sent flying, much to Tristan and Hillary's shock.

"Squirtle's in big trouble!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Squirtle, return now!" cried Hillary. And she quickly recalled Squirtle back into her Poké Ball.

"Houndour, use Smog!" ordered Cassidy.

Houndour shot a a thick, black fog from its mouth and enveloped Tristan, Hillary, and the Pokémon, including the two baby Ho-Oh that they were taking care of, causing them to cover their eyes and cough.

"I can't see a thing!" choked Hillary.

"Totodile, blast the Smog away with your Water Gun!" hacked Tristan.

Quickly, Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth to clear Houndour's Smog away.

"Come on, we'd better make a run for it," suggested Tristan.

"Right!" agreed Hillary as she, Tristan, Pikachu, Togepi, and Totodile started running with the two baby Ho-Oh into the woods.

"Not so fast," said Cassidy, and she snapped her fingers.

In the blink of an eye, an army of ten Team Rocket Grunts came out of nowhere and surrounded Tristan, Hillary, and the Pokémon.

"Oh, no, they've got us outnumbered," grunted Hillary.

"Hey, let us go right now!" demanded Tristan.

"You weren't thinking of leaving, were you?" smirked Cassidy.

"We always have a way of getting what we want," added Butch. "So we insist that you stay."

The Rocket Grunts came closer and closer.

"Hand over the baby Ho-Oh or else," smiled the first Rocket Grunt.

"And if you do, we'll let you leave in one piece," added the second Rocket Grunt.

"You're all insane!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Yeah!" agreed Tristan. "There's no way we'll hand these two Ho-Oh to you losers!"

"Then I'm afraid we'll have to resort to extreme measures," said the first Rocket Grunt. "Capture them now!"

"Leave them alone!" demanded Hillary.

But the ten Rocket Grunts charged toward the baby Ho-Oh, when all of a sudden, an extremely powerful Flamethrower attack came out of the sky and struck them all, sending them flying backward into nearby trees.

"Aah!" exclaimed Cassidy.

"Oh, no!" shouted Butch.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan as he and Hillary managed to pick themselves up.

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 2000 Emperor of the Crystal Tower)_

Then they looked up and saw the big Ho-Oh descending from the sky.

"Hey, look! It's the Ho-Oh we saw in Ecruteak City!" gasped Hillary.

"You're right, Hillary!" agreed Tristan. "It must've come to help us out!"

Butch and Cassidy angrily turned toward the big Ho-Oh.

"Let's take that one instead!" shouted Cassidy angrily. "Go, Houndour!"

"Go, Hitmontop!" ordered Butch.

Houndour and Hitmontop both charged at the big Ho-Oh.

But the big Ho-Oh simply fired another powerful Flamethrower at them, scoring a direct hit.

"Houndour, return!" commanded Cassidy.

"Hitmontop!" called Butch as he and Cassidy both recalled their Pokémon into their Poké Balls.

"We have no choice but to retreat, Butch," said Cassidy.

"This time," added Butch. "Retreat now!"

And at that instant, all ten Rocket Grunts, battered and bruised followed Butch and Cassidy's orders and beat a hasty retreat.

"Thanks a lot, Big Ho-Oh," said Hillary.

_You don't have to call me that,_ replied the big Ho-Oh. _But you can if you want._

"We managed to hatch these eggs safely," smiled Tristan.

The big Ho-Oh took one look at the two babies, who seemed perfectly healthy. _I see. You did a great job in taking care of them. But now, I must take them with me safely out of harm's way._

Tristan and Hillary could scarcely believe their ears.

"But why?" gasped Hillary.

"We did everything you told us to do!" added Tristan. "And you promised we'd be friends with them when they hatched!"

_I know, and your efforts are greatly appreciated, _replied the big Ho-Oh. _But these babies have been in enough danger already. Plus, they can't fly yet, so I have to take them with me._

"But how will you carry them?" asked Hillary.

_Well, _said the big Ho-Oh, _I can't carry them in my talons. My claws would crush them too easily. I'll have to carry them on my back._

"But you can't!" protested Tristan.

"They'll fall off!" put in Hillary. "You won't notice it until it's too late!"

_I appreciate your concerns, and I know it's a dangerous attempt,_ replied Ho-Oh admittedly. _But those bad people will be back, and they won't stop until they get what they want, and this is the only option we have left. Now I must insist that I carry them to a safe location out of humanity's reach._

Tristan and Hillary reluctantly helped Ho-Oh and Goldie onto the big Ho-Oh's back as it lowered its body.

_Farewell, _said the big Ho-Oh as it stood up to its full height. _I must be off. _And the big Ho-Oh flapped its wings and took off into the air with the two baby Ho-Oh hanging on as tightly as their little talons would allow.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were sorry to see the two baby Ho-Oh go.

"This just doesn't feel right to me," said Hillary.

"I know," agreed Tristan. "But we had to do what the big Ho-Oh said."

"No, we didn't!" shouted Hillary.

Tristan was surprised by Hillary's outburst.

"Look, I understand the big Ho-Oh's good intentions, but even if it was trying to protect the baby Ho-Oh, I just know that Goldie's depending on me to take care of it! I'm sure you would agree that the other baby Ho-Oh is depending on you, too! And what if nobody else is there to protect them when we're not? We have to follow the big Ho-Oh and see where it's taking them, even if it thinks it's for their own safety!"

Tristan knew what Hillary was thinking at that very moment. "You're right, sis," he said. "Ho-Oh's a legendary Pokémon. And just like I promised to help Lugia, you and I will promise to take care of the baby Ho-Oh. So let's go. There's no time to lose. Totodile, return!" And he quickly recalled Totodile back into the Lure Ball and ran off with Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi to try and catch up to the big Ho-Oh.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the skies above, the two baby Ho-Oh were struggling to hold on as the big Ho-Oh flew higher and faster. Suddenly, they felt the big Ho-Oh's feathers slip out of their grasp.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

They tried to hang on tighter, but they slowly kept slipping through the big Ho-Oh's feathers.

Unfortunately, the big Ho-Oh couldn't feel their small, tumbling bodies, and before it knew what was happening to them, they slid off its back and fell earthward from such a high altitude.

_Not to worry, _thought the big Ho-Oh to itself. _You'll be in a safe place soon enough. _The big Ho-Oh flew on and on, unaware that the baby Ho-Oh and Goldie were gone.

* * *

Meanwhile, down below, Pikachu pricked up its ears and alerted Tristan to something in the sky.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan as he looked through the binoculars. He saw two things falling from the sky. "Those things look like they're shiny things, and they're headed straight down."

"Let me see," said Hillary as she took Tristan's binoculars. She peered through them and zoomed in on those two shiny objects. But when she identified the two objects as the baby Ho-Oh, she gasped in horror.

_(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

"What? What's wrong?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"It's the baby Ho-Oh and Goldie!" cried Hillary. "And they're in major trouble!"

"Come on, we've gotta save them!" exclaimed Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi raced to the rescue as fast as they could.

The two baby Ho-Oh were falling faster and faster toward the ground below as Tristan and Hillary frantically tried to catch up to them.

"It's no use!" exclaimed Hillary. "They're falling too fast! We'll never make it!"

"Oh, yes, we will," said Tristan. And as he ran, he took the Silver Wing hanging around its neck, raised it into the air, and shouted, "Lugia!"

Instantly, the Silver Wing glowed brightly.

Seconds later, Lugia appeared from the sky and flew alongside Tristan and Hillary. _What's up, Tristan? _it asked.

"Lugia, we need your help. We've gotta hurry and catch the two falling baby Ho-Oh!" explained Tristan.

_All right then, get on,_ advised Lugia.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi scrambled onto Lugia, and together, they all took off into the air as fast as Lugia's wings could carry them.

"So what's your plan, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"This'll be dangerous, but we need to act fast," said Tristan as he quickly dug out a strong rope from his backpack. "I've been saving this for just such an emergency. Quick, Hillary, help me make a noose with this."

And she quickly did so. "Now what?"

Tristan quickly fastened the other end of the rope to himself. Then he crawled over Lugia's back and tied the noose to its tail. _This should hold, _he thought. "All right, down a little, Lugia," he advised.

Lugia flew a little lower and came precisely below where the Ho-Oh were falling from.

"That's good, now hold steady!" called Tristan.

And Lugia held its position as it flew.

Hillary and Pikachu then crawled over Lugia's back to where Tristan was.

"Okay, guys, I'm gonna jump and catch the Ho-Oh," explained Tristan. "The rope should be secure enough to keep me from falling and help me catch them. Pull us back onto Lugia when I give the signal."

"You got it," replied Hillary. "Just be careful."

Pikachu also nodded.

Presently, the falling Ho-Oh were just a few meters above Tristan as he judged the speed of their fall.

As soon as they passed him, he leaped off of Lugia after them. As he reached the end of the rope, he managed to catch them in his arms. "Okay, now!" he shouted.

Wasting no time, Hillary and Pikachu pulled on the rope. It was a long struggle, but slowly, they managed to haul Tristan and the two Ho-Oh safely onto Lugia's back.

Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Goldie leaped into Hillary's arms while the regular baby Ho-Oh flew into Tristan's.

Both Trainers embraced the two baby Ho-Oh as Lugia flew lower and lower towards the ground.

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone had landed safely.

"Thanks, Lugia, you were great," said Tristan.

_You're welcome, _replied Lugia. _I'm just glad that those Ho-Oh are safe._

Tristan turned to Hillary and Pikachu. "You two were a big help also."

"Naturally," replied Hillary.

Pikachu nodded.

"But what are we gonna do about the baby Ho-Oh?" asked Hillary. "The big Ho-Oh must be miles away by now, and we can't just leave them."

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight! (second part (Ash Appears)))_

"We're just gonna have to raise them ourselves until it comes back," answered Tristan.

"If it comes back," reminded Hillary. "But what if it doesn't?"

"Well, then we'll just have to prove to the big Ho-Oh that we can take care of the the babies, too," answered Tristan. "But they can't fly yet, and Team Rocket could still be after them. Lugia, will you stay and help us in case they come back?"

_You can count on me to help, _replied Lugia.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cassidy and Butch had just reported to Professor Namba.

"Well, what's your report?" asked Professor Namba.

"The two baby Ho-Oh got away thanks to those two meddling kids," answered Cassidy.

"And another big Ho-Oh, too," added Butch.

"That's unacceptable," said Professor Namba scornfully. "Get back out there and try to capture the baby Ho-Oh once again. This time, make no mistakes. I must have them now."

"Yes, sir," replied Butch and Cassidy.

"And when you find them," added Professor Namba, "then the children must pay!"

* * *

_Once again, our heroes come face to face with the evil Team Rocket. Why are they after the two baby Ho-Oh? And will Lugia's assistance be enough to help our heroes stop Butch and Cassidy's evil plans? Find out for yourself next time!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	57. HATCHING RAINBOW LEGENDS, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 57 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue trekking through the Johto region. I decided to base this chapter on the last chapter of _The Dragon's Child_ by Jenny Nimmo. In the book, Dando overcomes its difficulty and flies his friends to safety. The song "Never Too Far From Home" appears in this chapter, and the lead singer is Shareef McQueen from the musical sextet Johto. You may recall hearing this song on the Totally Pokémon CD or on the Pokémon episode "Houndoom's Special Delivery." As always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews.**

**TEASER: Now that Ho-Oh and Goldie have been rescued, now comes the hard part for Tristan and Hillary: teaching them to fly, but the window of opportunity is closing as Butch and Cassidy plan to steal them. Will they succeed in their evil plot?**

**Chapter 57: HATCHING RAINBOW LEGENDS, PART 2**

_(Music Cue: Movie Title 2001 (Japanese version)_

_Last time, our heroes were excited to see their eggs hatch into beautiful and cute baby Ho-Oh right before their eyes. They had been gifts from the Ho-Oh they met in Ecruteak City as part of their test. Shortly thereafter, they came under attack by Butch and Cassidy of Team Rocket, but the big Ho-Oh managed to come to their rescue._

_Afterwards, the big Ho-Oh decided it was time to take the baby Ho-Oh away for their own safety._

_Hesitant at first, our heroes gave the babies to the big Ho-Oh, but when they looked up and saw them fall out of the sky, they called their friend Lugia to their location._

_With Lugia's help, they took off into the air and managed to save the two baby Ho-Oh._

_Now they've taken on the task of raising the baby Ho-Oh. But with Butch and Cassidy still around, their task of keeping the two babies safe may prove to be more of a challenge than they expected. How will they overcome this obstacle?_

* * *

"There has to be a way to keep the two baby Ho-Oh safe," said Tristan as the sun began to go down. He paced around nervously.

Hillary agreed with him. "Just when Ho-Oh and Goldie were starting to get used to us, Team Rocket shows up."

_Team Rocket? Not again, _grumbled Lugia. _It was bad enough when they tried to capture me not too long ago, but now they want those babies, too? What nerve!_

Tristan gently put his hand on Lugia's neck. "It's okay, Lugia. I know you're upset, but I promise we'll figure something out."

Lugia calmed down. _Thanks, Tristan. I needed that._

"But how can we help keep the baby Ho-Oh safe, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "They can't fly yet, and I'm sure that they don't know any attacks, leaving them defenseless."

Tristan thought and thought until at last, he said, "Well, then, we'll just have to help them grow big and strong all by ourselves."

"But what about your Gym battle in Olivine City, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I don't care," replied Tristan. "Even if I miss the Johto League, a Pokémon's safety and happiness is more important. It doesn't matter how long it takes as long as we can do something to help Ho-Oh and Goldie grow big and strong."

_May I help give them flying lessons? _asked Lugia.

"Sure you can," answered Tristan. "We're all gonna have to work together to help out."

"Let's do it!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Great! We'll start first thing tomorrow morning!" announced Tristan.

The Pokémon agreed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Night soon fell, and Tristan and Hillary got into their sleeping bags.

Lugia had already fallen asleep in front of a large tree after making itself comfortable.

Hillary saw Goldie walking around Hillary.

"What's up, Goldie?" she asked. "Do you want to come and sleep with me?"

Goldie nodded and crawled in with Hillary and Togepi. It folded its wings, closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

Hillary gently stroked Goldie's feathers, which were very soft.

Ho-Oh crawled into Tristan's sleeping bag and got comfortable. Then it closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

"Hey, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"What's up?" whispered Tristan.

"I realize that Ho-Oh and Goldie are cute as babies."

"Of course they are. Anyone who was as fortunate as we were to see the baby Ho-Oh hatch would agree."

"But don't you wish they'd grow up fast so that they could defend themselves?"

Tristan gave the matter a lot of thought and remembered what happened with Lugia. _Hillary's right. They have to grow up, and soon. Because if Team Rocket comes back and captures them, they'll be defenseless. _"You're right, sis," he said in a whisper. "I do. I wish Ho-Oh and Goldie would grow up to be big and strong, just like Lugia.

"Can it really happen? I mean how will we help them grow?"

"I know we can help them somehow. We just have to believe."

"Okay. Well, goodnight, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Good night, sis," replied Tristan.

And they both fell asleep.

As Tristan slept, his Silver Wing began to glow faintly like a night light, just like the first night Lugia slept with him.

The night was calm and the moon and stars shone brightly in the night sky as Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends slept peacefully all night long.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan and Hillary woke up early.

Tristan made oatmeal for himself and Hillary. Shortly thereafter, he made some Pokémon food for the Pokémon. Then he gave a large portion of Pokémon food to Lugia.

Lugia seemed to enjoy the taste. _This is so good! How'd you learn to make good food like that?_

"A good friend taught me to make delicious recipes when I was just starting out on my journey," replied Tristan.

_Your friend must be really good at cooking things to teach you, _smiled Lugia.

"You can have seconds if you want," smiled Tristan.

Lugia went on with its breakfast. But then it asked, _What's seconds?_

Tristan gave a good chuckle. "It's a second helping of food."

_Oh, I see._

As Tristan's Bayleef, Quilava, Totodile, Heracross, and Larvitar, as well as Hillary's Squirtle, Cyndaquil, Eevee, Lapras, and Pichu ate with Pikachu and Togepi, Hillary came over to Tristan and said, "This is rather strange."

"What's strange, sis?" asked Tristan.

"Well, doesn't it seem that Ho-Oh and Goldie look bigger to you after just hatching yesterday?"

Sure enough, Ho-Oh and Goldie had grown a little in size, although Tristan didn't notice it at first.

"Well, I'm gonna give Ho-Oh some food," said Tristan.

"But what can you give it?" asked Hillary. "Baby Pokémon can't have solid food yet."

"I can still give some Moomoo Milk," answered Tristan. "I remember giving some to Lugia when it was recovering from its injuries at the Pokémon Center earlier on our quest."

"Great idea, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "I'll give some to Goldie, too.

Tristan fed Ho-Oh some Moomoo Milk while Hillary did the same for Goldie.

Ho-Oh and Goldie both loved the fresh taste and flapped their wings in approval.

Meanwhile, Butch and Cassidy were hiding in the bushes.

"Those Ho-Oh look like they're well-guarded," grumbled Butch.

Cassidy had to agree. "We'll just have to sit and wait for now, especially with that good-for-nothing bodyguard here."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Never too Far from Home (as heard in "Houndoom's Special Delivery"))_

After breakfast, everyone worked out and trained with Ho-Oh and Goldie.

_A Trainer's life is hard  
You travel routes so far  
Away from friends and family  
You learn to sacrifice  
Always ready to pay the price  
But what you have to understand  
Even heroes need a helping hand_

_Whatever you want, whatever you need  
You know you can always count on me  
There'll always be someone waiting  
'Cause you're never too far from home._

_Wherever you go, whatever you do  
You know we'll be there to pull you through  
You know there'll be someone waiting  
'Cause you're never too far from home_

_Whatever you want, whatever you need  
All of our love will set you free  
You know there'll be someone waiting  
'Cause you're never too far from home_

_Wherever you go, whatever you do  
All of your dreams will soon come true  
You know there'll be someone waiting  
'Cause you're never too far from home_

_(repeat chorus)_

The day passed quickly, and that night, everyone fell fast asleep with Lugia closely guarding Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi, Ho-Oh, and Goldie.

Eventually, though, Lugia soon got tired, and it, too, fell fast asleep.

_(music fade out)_

* * *

The next morning, Tristan stirred in his sleep as one of Ho-Oh's wings covered him like a blanket.

Hillary felt something in her sleep, too, but she didn't take much notice.

Lugia opened its eyes and yawned as it stretched its wings. Then it saw that both Ho-Oh and Goldie had grown dramatically during the night. It quickly came over to Tristan and Hillary. _Guys, wake up! You've gotta see this!_

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi burst awake at once from Lugia's shouting and covered their ears.

Apparently, it had also startled Butch and Cassidy, who were still hiding in the bushes.

"Ouch!" grunted Hillary. "That's loud!"

"I'll say," agreed Tristan. Then he opened his eyes and saw that Ho-Oh had grown significantly larger. "Wow! Hillary, look!"

Hillary gasped in shock as she saw Ho-Oh's enormous size. It was now 17 feet tall, much larger than Ho-Oh's average height. Then she saw that Goldie had grown significantly larger as well. "Goldie's grown larger, too!"

"This is amazing!" said Tristan. _Did my Silver Wing somehow help these baby Ho-Oh grow big and strong?_

"This calls for a celebration!" said Hillary excitedly. "Tristan, fix us something really good for breakfast, won't you please?"

"You got it!" replied Tristan. And he went straight to work to cook something special to celebrate the occasion.

* * *

Everyone had a healthy breakfast, including Ho-Oh and Goldie, who really enjoyed it.

Then Tristan and Hillary cleaned everything up in no time.

"That was really great, Tristan," said Hillary. "I'd call this one of your best breakfasts ever."

Lugia had to agree. _This was even better than yesterday._

Then two more voices were heard.

_What a great meal this is!_

_These humans have great taste in good food._

Everyone was startled.

When Tristan and Hillary turned towards Ho-Oh and Goldie, they said, _Thank you very much._

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock. "You guys just talked to us!"

_It must be telepathy, _remarked Lugia. _Some Pokémon have that ability like I do._

"That's so cool!" remarked Tristan.

"I'll say it is," agreed Hillary.

Tristan was still concerned. "But now we have to teach Ho-Oh and Goldie how to fly before..."

But the rest of Tristan's speech was interrupted when a Flamethrower suddenly shot out at him and Hillary.

_Look out! _cried Lugia as it quickly flew in front of them and used Safeguard to protect them.

Tristan and Hillary opened their eyes and saw that they had been unharmed. But they were most upset.

"What do you think you're doing?!" demanded Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Interrupted Motto (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo Strikes Back ("Mewtwo's Counterattack")))_

Suddenly, Butch and Cassidy appeared with Houndour standing in front of them.

"It's time for you to prepare for trouble," smiled Butch.

"I think we already did that," reminded Cassidy. Then she turned to Tristan and Hillary. "So, your Ho-Oh friends got bigger. Now they're even more valuable. Now hand them over."

"Just leave us alone!" demanded Tristan.

"You should know that Flamethrower attack was just a warning," said Cassidy. "Next time, I won't miss."

"Just try it!" retorted Hillary.

"All right, but just remember, you're the ones who asked for it," said Cassidy. "Houndour, Flamethrower!"

_(Music Cue: Melt the Crystal (as heard in the Japanese version of "Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei"))_

Houndour shot another stream of fire from its mouth at Tristan and Hillary.

But Lugia blocked the attack by using Safeguard again.

"Hitmontop, Rapid Spin!" shouted Butch as he threw his Poké Ball.

Hitmontop emerged from the white light that shot out of it and got into a headstand, then it spun rapidly to attack.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped up and shot a powerful bolt of electricity to stop Hitmontop and Houndour in their tracks.

"Houndour!" cried Cassidy.

"Hitmontop!" cried Butch.

Houndour and Hitmontop had both been knocked out.

_Tristan, Hillary, take Ho-Oh and Goldie and get them as far away from here as you can, _advised Lugia. _I'll hold those two humans off and come back to you later._

"You'll be okay?" asked Tristan.

_Yes, now hurry and get going, _replied Lugia.

"Come on, guys, let's go!" shouted Tristan.

"Yes," agreed Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball and threw it. "Cyndaquil, use your Smokescreen!"

Her Cyndaquil emerged from the Poké Ball just as Lugia climbed higher into the sky, and shot a black cloud of smoke from its mouth at Butch and Cassidy, who were blinded by the smoke and hacked in it.

"I can't see a thing" exclaimed Butch.

"This smoke is so darned thick!" hacked Cassidy.

Everyone, including Ho-Oh and Goldie, ran from the scene through the cover of smoke into the forest as fast as they could.

When the smoke cleared, Butch and Cassidy saw that they were gone. They were most annoyed, but the wouldn't give up.

Cassidy took out her portable radio. "Cassidy here. We need backup. Follow those kids, and don't let them get away."

* * *

Deeper into the the forest Tristan and Hillary ran with Ho-Oh and Goldie close behind.

"How much longer do we have to keep running?" asked Hillary.

"I guess until we feel safe," answered Tristan.

"Do you think we lost them?"

"I sure hope so."

Deep inside, Tristan felt worried about Lugia, and so did Pikachu.

They both stopped.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I just can't stop thinking about Lugia," replied Tristan. "I mean, what if Lugia gets hurt or something in its battle against Butch and Cassidy?"

"I'm sure Lugia will be fine, Tristan," Hillary assured him. "Remember, Lugia said so. Come on, let's keep going. Team Rocket'll find us too easily if we stay here. But we'll have to face them sooner or later, so we'll need to be in a good position if we want to beat those guys."

Suddenly, they heard whirring noises from above.

Tristan, Hillary, and the Pokémon couldn't get a good view because the noises were too high to see.

"Do you think it could be Butch and Cassidy's reinforcements?" whispered Tristan.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know," replied Hillary. "We'd better keep moving, though."

And so they did.

* * *

Meanwhile, high above, some Team Rocket Grunts were searching for Ho-Oh and Goldie in their helicopters.

"Well, did you see them yet?" asked the first Rocket Grunt.

"No, nothing yet," replied the second Rocket Grunt.

A third seemed to be pretty upset. "It's those pesky kids again. They always mess up our plans!"

"Well, they won't this time," said the first Rocket Grunt. He took out a pair of binoculars and focused them on the clearing below. Suddenly, he spotted Ho-Oh and Goldie right behind Tristan and Hillary as they came into the open field. He took out his radio. "Targets sighted."

"Attack them now!" instructed Cassidy's voice.

And they quickly dove down from the sky.

Meanwhile just below, Pikachu pricked its ears and alerted Tristan and Hillary to the whirring noise up above.

_(Music Cue: Entei's Theme (from the Japansese version of "Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei"))_

They saw the helicopters, which had letter "R's", flying lower and lower towards them.

"It's Team Rocket!" gasped Tristan.

"And they just got reinforcements," added Hillary.

Ho-Oh and Goldie quickly came to Tristan and Hillary.

_Quick, Tristan, you must climb on my back! _commanded Ho-Oh.

_You, too, Hillary, climb on, _added Goldie. _And we'll fly away from them._

Tristan and Hillary were shocked, but scrambled on Ho-Oh and Goldie respectively.

"But can you really fly?" asked Tristan nervously.

_We'll have to, _answered Ho-Oh. _We have no choice._

And so, Ho-Oh and Goldie started running with Tristan and Hillary hanging on tight. They both tried flapping their wings, but they couldn't get them into the right rhythm.

All the while, the helicopters were getting closer and closer.

"Come on, guys, don't lose hope yet!" encouraged Hillary.

"You can do it!" added Tristan.

Suddenly, something small and shiny came out of both Ho-Oh and Goldie's wings and landed in Tristan and Hillary's hands. One of them was green, white, and red while the other was gold, yellow, and white.

"What's this?" wondered Tristan.

"I don't know, but I suspect that these are for us," replied Hillary.

Presently, they began to flash repeatedly, like a heart in rhythm.

"Why are they flashing?" wondered Tristan.

"Maybe they're trying to get us to do something," replied Hillary.

Just then, Lugia flew low beside them. _Quick, use those feathers!_

"What do you mean, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

Presently Hillary thought of something. "Maybe, Lugia's trying to get us to tell Ho-Oh and Goldie to flap their wings to the flash of those feathers!"

"That's it!" gasped Tristan. "Ho, Oh, flap your wings to the flash of this feather!"

"You, too, Goldie!" added Hillary. "If you flap your feathers at the exact time these feathers flash, then we're sure to take off into the air!"

Ho-Oh and Goldie nodded to each other and started flapping their wings at the same time as the flashes of the feathers. They ran faster and faster, and sure enough, they were able to lift themselves into the air.

Tristan and Hillary looked all around as they climbed higher and higher.

"Whoa, we're flying," gasped Hillary. "I guess those feathers really did the trick."

"You're right, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "Ho-Oh and Goldie flapped their wings in perfect sync to the flashes of those feathers, and we were airborne because of it."

Presently, the sounds of whirring helicopter blades got closer again.

"It's them again!" grunted Tristan.

"I thought we lost them!" added Hillary.

"This is your final warning, children!" shouted Cassidy through the loudspeaker.

"Hand over the Ho-Oh or else!" demanded Butch over the loudspeaker.

"I've about had it with Team Rocket," said Hillary.

"Me, too," agreed Tristan. Then he shouted, "You listen here! We won't let you steal our Ho-Oh friends away from us because we made a promise to protect them! And if you expect us to just hand them over, then you're in way over your heads! But if you want them so bad, then come and get us!"

"Tristan, what are you doing?" whispered Hillary. "Are you trying to get their attention?"

"You will live to regret those words, kids!" shouted Cassidy. "Get them!"

And all at once, the helicopters flew at Ho-Oh and Goldie at tremendous speed.

But at that moment, Ho-Oh and Goldie's bodies began to glow in a golden light, and then, they shot a powerful rose-colored flame from their beaks directly at the helicopters as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all gasped in shock.

The blast was so powerful that it made the helicopters explode on contact.

_BOOM!_

The blast sent Butch, Cassidy, and all the Team Rocket Grunts flying into the sky at breakneck speed. "Looks like we're blasting off again!" they yelled as they disappeared.

_DING!_

As the smoke cleared, Tristan and Hillary marveled at the newfound strength Ho-Oh and Goldie had.

Lugia, who had been watching from a distance, was also impressed as it flew over to Ho-Oh and Goldie.

"What a powerful attack!" said Hillary. "What was that?"

"I don't know, Hillary," replied Tristan. "Why don't you check it out on your Pokédex?"

And she did.

_"Sacred Fire, one of Ho-Oh's most powerful attacks. This all-powerful Fire attack has a one in two chance of leaving the opponent with a burn."_

_So that was Sacred Fire? _gasped Lugia. _It kind of reminds me of the Aeroblast attack I used for the first time._

"Well, I'm sure Ho-Oh and Goldie's Sacred Fire attacks will keep Team Rocket away from us for a long while," smiled Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

That evening, as the sun was setting, the Silver Wing around Tristan's neck flashed and glistened.

_Looks like you made another legendary Pokémon your friend, _remarked Lugia to Tristan. _And Hillary, you and Goldie look like you're really great buddies._

It was true, for Goldie nuzzled Hillary affectionately, giving her a good chuckle.

"Just like you and I are, Lugia, and Pikachu, too," added Tristan. "Right, pal?"

Pikachu and Lugia nodded in agreement.

_Now it's time for the three of us to fly off, _said Lugia. _But I promise we'll see each other again real soon._

Tristan and Hillary felt sad, but understood why.

_Don't worry, you'll see us all again, _Ho-Oh assured them.

_That's right,_ agreed Goldie. _Hillary can call me or all the legendary Pokémon she befriended using her golden-colored Rainbow Wing she gained._

_And you, Tristan, can use your Silver Wing to call me and the legendary Pokémon you befriended, _added Lugia.

Tristan and Hillary felt much better after that.

And a moment later, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and Goldie took off into the air and departed in three different directions.

But as Ho-Oh and Goldie left, two rainbows were seen in their wake.

But just then another rainbow-colored Pokémon was seen flying above Tristan and Hillary.

"Whoa, look up there!" said Tristan.

Sure enough, the Ho-Oh that Tristan and Hillary met in Ecruteak City flew gracefully on its wings as it said, _Well done. You've proven yourselves to be worthy in my eyes._

"Worthy?" asked Hillary. "Does that mean..."

_Yes, __you have passed my test. Farewell. _And off it flew as it left a large rainbow in its wake.

"That's awesome," said Tristan.

"Yeah, we passed the big Ho-Oh's test," agreed Hillary. "Ho-Oh and Goldie were kept safe, and we defeated Team Rocket."

"Now we can focus on my next goal," said Tristan excitedly. "Olivine City, here we come!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

* * *

_And so, Tristan and Hillary manage to thwart Team Rocket's evil plan to steal Ho-Oh and Goldie and passed the big Ho-Oh's test. And as they look on, they think about the many mysteries surrounding the world of Pokémon._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	58. TOTODILE'S BIG DAY

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 58 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I didn't have Silver show up until Tristan and Hillary reached Olivine City. In the games, he doesn't battle the player there, but I'm having him do a one-on-one battle there as he didn't see Ho-Oh. You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary finally arrive in Olivine City for Tristan's next Gym battle, but Silver shows up and instantly blames them for not seeing Ho-Oh west of Ecruteak City and challenges Tristan to a battle! Will that stop Tristan from obtaining his fifth Johto League Gym Badge? Plus, they discover a mysterious life form on Pikachu. What is this life form?**

**Chapter 58: TOTODILE'S BIG DAY**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

_Our heroes are still on the road, but to their surprise and excitement, they finally made it! At last, they have reached their next destination: Olivine City, and they know that it was well worth the trip._

"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "Olivine City Gym, here I come!"

Pikachu agreed as it rushed off with Tristan.

"Hold on!" cautioned Hillary.

Tristan and Pikachu stopped in their tracks, causing them to fall flat on the ground.

"Hey, what'd you stop us for?" asked Tristan impatiently.

"There's one thing we have to do first," reminded Hillary. "Do you remember what that is?"

"Oh, yeah," said Tristan. "We have to stop by the Pokémon Center first."

Hillary nodded. "That always comes first, you know. Come on, let's go there. You'll thank me. You'll see." And she happily walked off with Togepi in her arms.

Tristan and Pikachu were still bemused.

"I don't know how Hillary does that," whispered Tristan to himself.

Pikachu quietly agreed with him.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

As they approached the city limits, they stopped to see the sights.

"Look, you can see the ocean from here," said Hillary.

"It sure looks beautiful, doesn't it?" agreed Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi also agreed.

Tristan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ah, the fresh ocean air smells good."

"And it feels good, too," added Hillary.

Everyone stood still for what seemed like hours as they felt and quietly listened to the sounds of the ocean and the light breezes that followed.

"I remember the last time we came here," said Tristan.

"Yeah, this was the place we took the ferry to the Whirl Islands," agreed Hillary.

"And met Lugia there for the first time," put in Tristan.

"Hey, do you think we could see the place where Lugia was born?" asked Hillary.

"You mean its home?" replied Tristan. "I'm sure Lugia wouldn't mind. After all, we are it's friends."

"And I'm sure we'll get to see some Pokémon we haven't seen before," added Tristan. "There are just so many opportunities waiting for us across the sea! I can't wait to see everything it has to offer!"

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" said Hillary. "Let's go to the Pokémon Center and rest up first, then we'll do your Gym battle, and finally, we can explore the Whirl Islands after that!"

"Okay!" agreed Tristan.

And they happily dashed posthaste to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Inside, Nurse Joy greeted them warmly. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center.

"Nurse Joy, would you look after our Pokémon please?" asked Tristan and Hillary.

"Sure, I'd be happy to take care of them," smiled Nurse Joy as she took Pikachu, Togepi, and all of Tristan and Hillary's Poké Balls into the examination room.

"Hey, Tristan, we should give Grandma a call," suggested Hillary.

"Good idea," agreed Tristan. "I'm sure she'll be happy to know that we've reached Olivine City."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Center 1997-1998 M77B)_

"Ah, Tristan and Hillary, it's so wonderful to see you again," smiled Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother, on the video screen. "You two are looking as well as ever."

"Hi, Grandma," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

"So where are you two now?" asked Veronica.

"We just reached Olivine City," answered Tristan.

"That's wonderful news, dear," replied Veronica. "So are you planning to go for your fifth badge?"

"You bet I am," said Tristan excitedly. "My Pokémon and I are all raring to go. And once I get that badge, we'll be one step closer to the Johto League."

"I can wait to see you compete," smiled Veronica. "And Hillary, how's your battling experience going?"

"It's going well," answered Hillary. "I competed in a few tournaments already. I've won some and lost some. But Tristan's been doing his fair share of these tournaments, too."

"Have you decided what you wanted to do yet?" asked Veronica.

"I really hadn't thought of it yet," replied Hillary.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find the answer," said Veronica. "It's never too late to choose your own path. And competing in those tournaments is a great way to decide what you want to do."

"Grandma's right, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "Sometimes you need to battle and train with your Pokémion in order to find a goal that works for you. There may even be goals that we haven't even thought of yet."

Hillary nodded and understood what Tristan and Veronica were saying.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," smiled Veronica. "Well, I have to go, kids. Good luck in your Gym battle, Tristan. And remember, I love you."

"Thanks, Grandma, you, too," replied Tristan and Hillary together as the video screen turned off.

Just then, the recovery signal rang.

Nurse Joy came out of the recovery room with Pikachu and Togepi as well as Tristan and Hillary's Poké Balls, much to their delight. "Everyone here seems to be doing very well."

"That's great news, isn't it, Hillary?" said Tristan.

"Sure is," agreed Hillary.

"But..." began Nurse Joy.

"But what?" asked Tristan and Hillary together.

"Your Pokémon appear to have tiny life forms stuck to them," replied Nurse Joy.

"Tiny life forms?" asked Hillary, who was getting more and more nervous. "What do you mean?"

"Let me show you through the microscope," said Nurse Joy as she pulled an instrument over. "I had just discovered it when I was examining Pikachu."

"Is Pikachu gonna be okay, Nurse Joy?" asked Tristan.

"Don't worry," she assured him. "Pikachu and the rest of your Pokémon seem to be perfectly fine." And she let Tristan look through the microscope.

What Tristan saw made him jump in surprise.

"What is it, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I saw lots of tiny purple blobs all over Pikachu's shiny coat!" gasped Tristan.

"Let me see," said Hillary. And she looked through the microscope. Sure enough, when she looked into it, she could see that there were tiny purple blobs all over Pikachu. "You're right, Tristan. There are purple blobs everywhere. No wonder we couldn't see it at first."

"Unfortunately, that's all I know about this life form," concluded Nurse Joy. "It's a brand new thing that I hadn't seen before. But I can't tell you anything more about it at this Pokémon Center. None of my sisters or cousins had discovered this either. I think I'll contact them and try to find out more about it." And she walked through the doors back to the examination room.

It was obvious that Tristan and Hillary became very worried and held Pikachu and Togepi close to them.

"Maybe we should contact Professor Elm," suggested Hillary. "He might know something that Nurse Joy doesn't."

Tristan nodded in agreement.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

When Tristan and Hillary contacted Professor Elm on the video phone, they told him the whole story.

"Oh, I see," said Professor Elm. "I can see why you two are in such a panic right now."

"Yes, Professor Elm," replied Tristan. "Is there anything you know about this life form?"

"Well, you see..."

But before Professor Elm could continue, a familiar figure came beside him. "Hello, kids!"

"It's Professor Oak!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"What are you doing in New Bark Town?" asked Hillary.

"I had wanted to stop by and see how Professor Elm was doing," explained Professor Oak, "and he had come across this momentous discovery about those life forms that he was talking about."

"Please tell us more, Professor Oak!" implored Tristan.

"Yeah, this could be important!" added Hillary.

"All right, now calm down, kids, there's nothing you need to worry about," chuckled Professor Oak. "The life forms that Professor Elm was talking about may be connected to the mysterious life form known as Pokérus."

"Pokérus?" repeated Tristan.

"Yes," replied Professor Elm. "It multiplies fast and infects other Pokémon, too."

"You mean it could infect Togepi, too?" asked Hillary worriedly.

"Actually, that's all the Pokérus does," answered Professor Elm. "It spreads and multiples like wildfire, but that's all it does."

"We believe that the Pokérus is a viral life form that infects Pokémon," explained Professor Oak. "But instead of getting sick, it makes them feel even better and stronger than they've ever been before."

"But other than that, there's nothing that we really need to worry about," finished Professor Elm. "And it'll go away over time."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all breathed sighs of relief.

"There's still so much about this new virus that we don't know, and we plan to study as much about it as possible, but we hope that you'll rest easier tonight knowing that your Pokémon won't have any ill effects with this virus," said Professor Oak.

"We'll do our best," replied Hillary.

"Bye, kids," said Professor Elm. "And good luck."

The video screen turned off.

* * *

As Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi walked out of the Pokémon Center, a thought crossed Tristan's mind.

"Hey, do you suppose that this Pokérus will help my Pokémon and me win future battles?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Tristan," replied Hillary. "But I think I know a good way to put that theory to the test. Let's go to the Olivine City Gym and find out."

"Great idea, sis," agreed Tristan. "Let's go."

But just then, a familiar red-haired boy came to the scene and demanded, "Hold it."

Tristan and Hillary stopped dead in their tracks.

"Oh, no, not Silver again," groaned Hillary.

"It's him, all right," said Tristan disdainfully.

"I stopped you because I wanted to take my anger out on someone," explained Silver. "I was told that I could find some legendary Pokémon just west of Ecruteak City, but there was nothing there! Nothing!"

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

Silver became more and more angry. "All this trouble of going west of Ecruteak City to find this Pokémon, and for what? Just so I could find some good-for-nothing wimps like you?! It's all your fault!"

"What do you mean, our fault?" demanded Hillary. "We don't even know what you're talking about!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme)_

"Spare me all your lies!" yelled Silver. "Croconaw, battle mode! Right now!" And he angrily threw his Poké Ball.

His Croconaw emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked as mean as ever.

"Hillary, let me battle him this time," suggested Tristan. "This is a great way to put Professor Oak's theory to the test."

"All right, go for it, Tristan," said Hillary.

Tristan turned towards Silver. "All right, Silver, if it's a battle you want, you've got one! Totodile, I choose you!" He threw his Lure Ball.

Totodile emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Sure enough, it was ready for battle.

"So, you're using Totodile," smirked Silver. "A weak Pokémon for a weak Trainer like you."

"We'll see who's weak," said Tristan. "Totodile, Water Gun attack!"

Totodile shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Croconaw, but this one seemed to be more powerful than normal. Nevertheless, it scored a direct hit on Croconaw.

"Hm, so you have gotten stronger after all," smirked Silver. "I underestimated you. Now it's my turn to respond. Croconaw, fight back with your Water Gun!"

Croconaw responded with a powerful blast of water of its own and scored a direct hit on Totodile.

"Okay, Totodile, hang tough!" encouraged Tristan.

Totodile landed on its feet and charged forward.

"Croconaw, use Bite!" instructed Silver.

Croconaw charged and proceeded to bite Totodile using its sharp teeth.

"Totodile, blast it with your Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile shot another powerful blast of water from its mouth at Croconaw at close range, causing it to score a huge direct hit on it.

"Follow it up with your Bite attack!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile lunged forward and used its teeth to bite Croconaw hard and wouldn't let go.

"Yeah, that hit the mark!" said Hillary excitedly.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered for Tristan loudly.

Croconaw was tossed to the ground.

"Stay strong or else!" demanded Silver to Croconaw.

Croconaw struggled to its feet.

Just then, Tristan realized something. _He's threatening his own Pokémon to stay strong. He thinks that Pokémon are tools for battling. But my Pokémon and I have more power than just sheer brute force because of our friendship and trust. And I intend to prove that right here and now. _"All right, Totodile, get ready to charge in again!" he said aloud.

Totodile charged forward and prepared to attack again.

_If he thinks I'm gonna fall for the same trick twice, then he's more senile that I thought, _thought Silver. He then shouted, "Croconaw, Slash attack now!"

But Tristan thought quickly and shouted, "Totodile, grab hold of Croconaw with your Bite attack!"

Totodile quickly used its teeth to grab Croconaw's sharp claws, stopping it in its tracks. Then Totodile jumped up and down while at the same time, tossed Croconaw up and down on the ground. It seemed to be having fun.

Silver seethed in anger.

"Perfect, Totodile, now toss it into the air!" commanded Tristan.

Totodile thrust Croconaw into the air with all its might, leaving it defenseless.

"That's it, Totodile, now aim your Water Gun at the ground!" instructed Tristan.

Totodile shot its Water Gun attack directly at the ground, causing it to be airborne.

"Hey, that's new!" said Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed. They had never seen a Totodile fly before.

Totodile came up to Croconaw, who had begun to fall back to earth. It was now within striking distance.

"Totodile, finish it off with your Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan.

Totodile shot another powerful blast of water from its mouth at Croconaw, scoring a direct hit on it and accelerating its fall.

Croconaw crashed into the ground, causing a cloud of dust to form.

Silver gasped in shock.

When the dust cleared, Croconaw had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

As for Totodile, it landed neatly on the ground.

"Excellent, Totodile," commended Tristan. "Great job."

Totodile nodded.

Silver returned Croconaw to its Poké Ball and said, "Hmph! You never would've met a legendary Pokémon anyway. Besides, battling you was a waste of time, and I can beat you and Hillary any day." And he turned his back on them and walked away.

"Hey, you get back here!" shouted Hillary.

"Let him go, Hillary," said Tristan as he put his hand on her shoulder. "He knows that battling me won't do him any good when it comes to finding legendary Pokémon like Ho-Oh. Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"I guess you're right," replied Hillary. "Come on, let's look around."

* * *

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon were climbing up the stairs inside the Shining Lighthouse.

"This place sorta gives me the creeps," said Hillary nervously. "Do you think we'll run into anything scary in here?"

"I doubt it, Hillary, because I haven't seen any sign of any wild Pokémon living here," replied Tristan.

Just then, there was a flashing light just around the corner.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"Let's see what it is," replied Tristan.

And together, they ran up the final flight of stairs.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

When they got there, they saw a yellow bipedal Pokémon with a white belly. It had a red orb at the tip of its tail, which was flashing repeatedly.

"Wow, I wonder what that is," said Hillary as she took out her Pokédex.

_"Ampharos, the Light Pokémon. Ampharos emits a strong light from the tip of its tail. which can be seen over long distances and serve as a beacon to those who are lost."_

"I wonder if this Ampharos has a Trainer," said Hillary.

"I'm sure it does because it's doing its job for someone here," replied Tristan.

Sure enough, the Ampharos was doing its job, and wouldn't move a muscle.

A moment later, they went outside to admire the sunset across the sea.

"What a beautiful sight that is!" said Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu, Togepi, and Totodile were just about to agree when suddenly, Totodile was bathed in a bright white light.

"Whoa, what's going on with Totodile?" gasped Tristan.

"Totodile's starting to evolve!" replied Hillary.

Sure enough, Totodile was growing in size as it evolved. When the light faded, it had an asymmetrical pattern on its chest, and its jaw was yellow.

"It's a Croconaw now!" said Tristan as he ran to embrace his Pokémon. "Congratulations, Croconaw."

Croconaw bit Tristan's head lightly to show its affection.

"Hey, watch those teeth, will ya?" said Tristan playfully.

Hillary and Pikachu gave a good laugh as Croconaw continued to show its affection.

Presently, the sun was starting to disappear over the horizon.

"It's getting pretty late, Tristan," said Hillary. "We should think about heading to the Pokémon Center for the night."

"I guess that means I won't be having my Gym battle today," replied Tristan sadly.

"Don't worry, Tristan," Hillary assured him. "You'll get a chance to battle the Gym Leader."

Tristan gave a small smile. "I guess you're right. Seeing a beautiful sunset is a nice consolation prize. Plus, Totodile evolved into Croconaw."

Hillary nodded in agreement. "That's right. You've gotta look on the bright side of things. There's no point in just pointing out the negatives, right?"

"Right," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu, Togepi, and Croconaw also agreed.

* * *

_Although Tristan did not get his Gym battle in today, he knows that he attained some victories of his own, including defeating Silver in battle once again and his Totodile evolving into Croconaw. But he knows that he will have to take on the Olivine Gym Leader at some point, but the question is...when will it happen? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	59. THE BATTLE TOWER

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 59 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to put a few characters from the video games as well as the anime in this chapter. From the games, we see Fisher Barney from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and Super Nerd Clifford from Pokémon Stadium 2. From the anime we see the Olivine Gym Leader Jasmine and her apprentice, Janina. I remember when my siblings and I would act silly whenever we mentioned Super Nerd Clifford. He sort of reminds me of Clifford the Big Red Dog. And Fisher Barney reminds me of Barney the dinosaur from _Barney & Friends_, which I have not watched for many years; it's not one of my favorite programs to watch these days. I'm a little old for that show. Having said that, please feel free to read and review responsibly.**

**TEASER: Tristan can't have his Gym battle with Jasmine, so he and Hillary enter the Battle Tower for a chance to win a Metal Coat. Will he win the three matches and claim the Metal Coat as his grand prize?**

**Chapter 59: THE BATTLE TOWER**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "The Superhero Secret"))_

_Last time, after a long trip, our heroes finally reached Olivine City, where Tristan hoped to compete against the Olivine Gym Leader for his fifth Johto League Gym badge. But when they got to the Pokémon Center, they discovered that their Pokémon had been infected with the mysterious viral life form known as Pokérus. _

_Professor Elm and Professor Oak told them more about the Pokérus virus. Instead of making them sick like other viruses, it would help their Pokémon feel better and stronger than they ever had before._

_Excited about this new theory, Tristan and Hillary eagerly started off for the Olivine Gym when whom should appear, but their old nemesis, Silver._

_Blaming them for not finding the legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh, he angrily challenged Tristan to a one-on-one battle, to which he accepted. _

_Silver used his Croconaw while Tristan battled with his Totodile._

_Totodile defeated Croconaw with ease with help from the Pokérus. _

_Just as Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends admired the sunset from the top of the Shining Lighthouse, Totodile evolved into Croconaw right before their eyes._

_Needless to say, Croconaw wasn't afraid to show its affection to its Trainer._

_And now, Tristan is more excited than ever to battle the Olivine Gym Leader. So after a good night's sleep, will today finally be the day that Tristan earns that elusive fifth Gym badge he excitedly seeks?_

* * *

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi set off for the Olivine City Gym.

"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "Badge number five, here I come!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu. It was just as excited as its Trainer.

But suddenly...

"Oh, no, I'm so late! I've gotta get there!" A teenage girl was rushing through the city. She had with brown hair tied with two pigtails with two orange hairpins, and was wearing a white sleeveless dress with a large white ribbon and ankle-strap sandals. Unfortunately, she didn't see Tristan and crashed straight into him, causing them both to fall to the ground.

"Oh, my head," groaned Tristan as he rubbed his head.

"That really hurt," moaned the girl as she rubbed hers.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said the girl as she got to her feet. "It was my fault. I should've watched where I was going."

"You should be more careful or somebody could get hurt," cautioned Hillary.

"Sorry about that," replied the girl. "The reason I'm in such a hurry is because there's a long line of challengers waiting for me at the Gym, and I've gotta get there!" And she started running again.

"Did you hear that, Tristan?" gasped Hillary.

"All I hear is my head pounding," moaned Tristan as he slowly got to his feet.

"She said she has a long line of challengers at the Gym! So that must mean that she's the Olivine Gym Leader!"

Tristan gasped in shock. "Then what are we standing here for? Let's go!" And he and Hillary quickly followed the girl to the Gym.

_(Music Cue: Mysterious Person)_

When they got there a few seconds later, they saw that the Gym was loaded with challengers waiting in an extremely long line.

"I think we're in for a long wait," said Hillary.

"Phooey!" grumbled Tristan as he crossed his arms. "Just when I was so psyched for my next Gym battle."

"Jasmine!" called a voice. "Jasmine, wait up!"

A young girl with short green hair with small pink hairpins in it quickly came to the scene. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless jumper with orange stripes, and she had a little purse on her person.

"Oh, I'm so glad you got here, Janina," sighed Jasmine. "Just look at this long line of challengers we have to face today."

Sure enough, the line was gigantic, almost a mile long.

Jasmine realized that she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got so panicked about meeting these challengers that I forgot all about the introductions. I'm Jasmine, the Olivine Gym Leader. And this is my apprentice, Janina."

"Hi," said Janina.

"I'm Hillary, and this is my brother, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Hello," added Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi introduced themselves.

"Ever since my little Sparkle got sick not too long ago, all those Trainers had been wanting to have a battle with me," explained Jasmine.

"Little Sparkle," repeated Hillary. "Hmm..."

"Sparkle's job is to light up the Shining Lighthouse every evening from dusk to dawn," continued Jasmine. "The Shining Lighthouse is an historic landmark in the Johto region. So when Sparkle got sick, I was physically and emotionally unfit to battle challengers."

"I knew it!" said Hillary. "Wasn't Sparkle the Ampharos that Tristan and I saw at the Shining Lighthouse last night?"

Jasmine nodded. "The one and only. I just wish I could've introduced you to Sparkle when I wasn't so busy. But now that I have all these challengers, being a Gym Leader could prove to be a challenge by itself."

"You see, thanks to Sparkle's illness, she couldn't battle anyone," added Janina. "And now that she has them, she can't get herself caught up enough to get any sleep at night."

"Well, the thing is," said Tristan, "I'd been wanting to battle Jasmine, too, so that I could earn my fifth badge. But I guess now's not the right time to ask her for a Gym battle now, is it?"

"Oh, Tristan, there's nothing wrong with asking me for a Gym battle," said Jasmine, assuring him. "I just can't do it right now with all these challengers around. Ash was the very first Trainer to challenge me to a battle after Sparkle had become ill, and ever since then, Trainers had been coming to the Gym to challenge me by the score. But I'll tell you what. As soon as I'm finished battling all those Trainers, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Jasmine," replied Hillary. "We'll be here when your line clears up."

"But I just wanted to battle," said Tristan to himself.

Janina overheard him and said, "Well, if you really wanna battle, the Battle Tower in the distance should be perfect for you to do your training."

"The Battle Tower, huh?" said Tristan. He was at first uninterested. But then, since he knew that there was a chance to battle there, he said, "Okay, I'll go there right now and battle. It'll be a good way for me to burn my excess energy."

"Trainers come from all over the world to improve their skills there," added Jasmine. "It gives Trainers a chance to see what they've learned from other Trainers."

"You'll need at least one Gym badge to enter the Battle Tower," finished Janina.

"Well, I've got four Gym badges so far," said Tristan.

"Great," grumbled Hillary. "I don't have any."

"I'm sure they'll let you in," smiled Janina. "That is as long as you're with someone who has Gym badges."

"Well, I'm convinced," said Hillary.

"Sorry we can't have our Gym battle now, Tristan," said Jasmine. "But I know there'll be plenty of things to do at the Battle Tower. I promise as soon as the line clears up, I'll make sure you know."

"Thanks, Jasmine," replied Tristan. "Good luck."

And he and Hillary raced off for the Battle Tower.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo's Counterattack"))_

Two guards were seen standing at the Battle Tower's entrance as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi approached.

"Well, this is it," said Tristan. "Let's go inside."

Hillary nodded as she followed him.

"Just a minute, kiddos," said the first guard as he stopped them. "We'd like to see your badges, please."

Tristan took out his badge case and showed the guards his four Johto League Gym badges.

They glistened beautifully in the sunlight.

"Ah, so you're an experienced Trainer," said the second guard. "Go on in."

"What about the girl?" asked the first guard.

"I'm sure she's traveling with him, right, miss?" said the second guard.

"Yes, that's right," answered Hillary.

"Very good," said the first guard. "We must ask you to stay with him at all times during your visit."

"Yes, sir," replied Hillary as she, Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi went in.

There was a huge lobby inside with three video phones and transporters.

Presently, they saw a poster with rules on it.

Tristan quickly read it. "Every Trainer participates in three battles: The first will be one-on-one, the second will be two-on-two, and the third will be three-on-three. Substitutions can be made freely during the two-on-two and three-on-three battles. You're not allowed to use the same Pokémon that you used in the previous matches. Whoever wins them all will receive a Metal Coat as the grand prize."

"What's a Metal Coat?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "Maybe Dexter knows." And he took out his Pokédex and looked up the Metal Coat.

_"The Metal Coat is used for evolving certain kinds of Pokémon, changing Onix into Steelix and changing Scyther into Scizor."_

"Hey, maybe I could use that Metal Coat," said Hillary excitedly. "I have a Scyther back at Professor Oak's laboratory."

"Well, I'll do my best to help you get one," said Tristan.

Tristan and Hillary walked over to the reception desk.

A female receptionist was waiting. "Hello. Are you ready to challenge the Battle Tower?"

"Yes, I am," replied Tristan. "And so is Pikachu."

Pikachu eagerly nodded.

"And what about you, young lady?" asked the receptionist.

"Oh, I'm just here to observe," replied Hillary.

"Very well," said the receptionist. "Let me just get you registered first. May I see your Pokédex please."

Tristan handed her the Pokédex and scanned it. She saw Tristan's current team on it as well as the four badges he earned so far. Then she handed the Pokédex back to him. "Okay, Tristan from New Bark Town, you're all set. Please follow me to the battle room." And she led Tristan and Hillary toward the elevator, which they got into.

As the elevator rose higher and higher, Tristan could think of only one thing. And that was battling.

Presently, the elevator reached the top floor, and the receptionist led Tristan and Hillary to a room with a large battlefield in it.

"This looks almost exactly like a Gym," remarked Tristan.

"Or a small stadium," added Hillary.

The receptionist led Hillary to some bleachers. "This is where you can watch Tristan battle. Please enjoy."

"I will, thank you," replied Hillary.

The receptionist came to Tristan. "Your first opponent will be arriving shortly. A battle judge will officiate the three matches in just a moment."

Tristan nodded. He could hardly wait to get started.

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (first part: Decision)_

Presently, a fisherman came into the room followed closely by a second receptionist.

"So you're my first opponent, huh?" said the fisherman. "I should have no problem defeating a kid like you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" replied Tristan defiantly.

"The name's Barney," said the fisherman. "And I've got friends." He gave a good chuckle.

"Oh, great, Barney and friends," said Hillary sarcastically. "I just hope they don't make a television show out of that by having a bunch of fishermen all together."

"Do you know what the most important thing in our everyday lives is?" asked Barney.

Tristan tried to come up with an answer, but was unable to come up with one.

"Well, don't worry about it," said Barney. "The answer will surprise you."

_(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part: Ash Appears!)_

Just then a battle judge came to the battlefield. He explained the rules. "We will now begin the first of three matches in this Battle Tower challenge. The first match will be one-on-one. The winner will advance to the next round. The loser will be eliminated."

"I choose Gyarados!" shouted Barney as he threw his Poké Ball.

Gyarados emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Sure enough, it was enormous.

"Wow, Tristan's gonna have his hands full with this first battle," said Hillary to herself as she scanned Gyarados with her Pokédex.

_"Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokémon. Gyarados are known to have volatile tempers. It appears whenever there is world conflict, burning down everything in its wake."_

Tristan seemed unfazed. "I'm gonna choose Pikachu to start!" he said.

Pikachu nodded and ran to challenge Gyarados as electricity crackled from its cheeks.

Both Pokémon faced each other as they prepared for battle.

"Gyarados versus Pikachu," said the judge. "Begin the match!" And he raised his two flags in the air.

"Pikachu, start off with a Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo!"))_

Pikachu jumped into the air and launched a powerful bolt of electricity from its body toward Gyarados.

"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump!" ordered Barney.

Gyarados shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth to block Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"I was afraid he'd do that," grunted Tristan. "Winning this battle will be harder than I thought."

"Let's finish this up! Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" commanded Barney.

Gyarados shot a powerful yellow-orange beam from its mouth at Pikachu, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Pikachu!" cried Hillary.

Togepi cheered as loudly as it could for Pikachu.

Pikachu hit the ground hard, but managed to get back on its feet.

"Hang in there, Pikachu," encouraged Tristan. _That Hyper Beam attack did more damage than I thought,_ he thought._ I'll have to be careful. If Pikachu gets hit with another Hyper Beam, I'm finished. _Then he took a good look at Gyarados.

Sure enough, Gyarados was breathing hard and couldn't move.

_That's it! _thought Tristan. _After launching a powerful attack like that one, Gyarados won't be able to move for a while. So this is my big chance. _He then shouted, "Pikachu, hit Gyarados with all the power you've got! Thunder attack, go!"

Pikachu jumped high into the air and unleashed a large bolt of electricity at Gyarados, scoring a huge direct hit.

"Gyarados!" cried Barney.

"Now that was highly effective," smiled Hillary. "Pikachu's Thunder scored big time."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Gyarados toppled over and fainted on the spot after that powerful attack.

"Gyarados is unable to battle...Pikachu wins!" said the judge. "The first match in this Battle Tower challenge goes to Tristan from New Bark Town."

"Awesome!" said Tristan excitedly. "Way to go, Pikachu."

Pikachu ran happily into Tristan's arms and they embraced one another.

Barney returned Gyarados to its Poké Ball. "Well, that explains why electricity is one of the most important thing in our everyday lives."

"What do you mean, Barney?" asked Tristan.

"Well, besides your Pikachu being strong, people wouldn't have made such a fuss when the Power Plant in Kanto went out of commission," explained Barney. "But I've read somewhere that four Trainers helped bring the power plant back online. And they looked like..." He gasped in shock when he saw Tristan and Hillary's faces. "You're two of the Trainers I read about! No wonder you were so strong."

"True, but because you didn't know, you fought a great battle," smiled Tristan. "Just keep training your Gyarados and you'll be a force to be reckoned with."

"I will," replied Barney. "It was great meeting you, uh, what was your name again?"

"I'm Tristan, and that's Hillary," answered Tristan.

"Hello there," smiled Hillary.

"Well, Tristan, I hope to battle you again someday," said Barney.

"Me, too, Barney," replied Tristan.

And both Trainers shook hands.

Barney then left the room.

Shortly thereafter, another Trainer appeared. He had long hair, and was wearing a white collared shirt and a pair of glasses. "Oh, hello, my name's Clifford. I'm supposed to be here to face a Trainer named Tristan, am I right?"

"I'm ready for you, Clifford," replied Tristan eagerly. He then took Pikachu to be with Hillary for a well-deserved rest.

"I'll take care of Pikachu for you, Tristan," said Hillary. "You can win this, but remember to do your best and have fun."

"Yes, Hillary, I'll remember," chuckled Tristan. He then faced Clifford as the judge prepared to officiate the second match.

"Each Trainer will use two Pokémon for this second match," explained the judge. "Both Trainers are allowed to make substitutions when necessary. Begin the match when ready."

"I choose Porygon!" shouted Clifford as he threw a Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))_

A Pokémon with a pink polyhedral body made its appearance from the white light that shot out of it. It had blue triangular prism feet a blue tail, a blue front, and a pink head with a blue tip at the beak.

"That Pokémon looks very familiar to me," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Porygon, the Virtual Pokémon. This artificial Pokémon was created due to extensive research. It can only perform what's in its programming."_

"I choose Larvitar!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Poké Ball.

Larvitar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Ready, Larvitar? This'll be a tough one," said Tristan.

Larvitar nodded eagerly. Apparently, it was looking for a good battle to be in.

"Porygon versus Larvitar," said the judge as he raised his flags. "Let the battle begin!"

"Porygon, use your Psybeam!" instructed Clifford.

Porygon shot a multi-colored beam toward Larvitar.

Unfortunately, Larvitar was too slow to dodge the attack and got hit, causing it to slide backward.

"Larvitar, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Larvitar gave a hard nod and stood in front of Tristan.

"Great!" said Tristan excitedly. "Use your Sandstorm attack!"

Larvitar pointed the horn on its head right at Porygon and waved it in a circle. Seconds later, a sand tornado came out, and enveloped Porygon in it.

Clifford had problems seeing as well because of it.

Larvitar's Sandstorm was so strong that Hillary had to cover her face to avoid getting sand in her eyes and glasses. "Wow, how did Larvitar pack such power like that?!"

Pikachu and Togepi were doing their best to shield themselves from Larvitar's Sandstorm.

Tristan was bewildered at Larvitar's strength. _Could it be the Pokérus again? _he thought. _Or did Larvitar have this much power all along?_

Clifford was still shielding his eyes from the sand. "Porygon, use Conversion!"

Porygon focused its transmitter on Larvitar. It then glowed white for a few seconds, and then it changed into the same color scheme as Larvitar.

Pretty soon, the Sandstorm subsided.

"Well, that ought to take care of that Porygon," said Tristan. But to his surprise, Porygon remained intact with the same color scheme as Larvitar! "Hey, what's the deal? Larvitar's Sandstorm didn't affect it!"

"That's because Porygon's Conversion allows it to change its type depending on what attack the opponent is using," explained Clifford. "Normally, Sandstorm would do damage to a Pokémon that don't have Rock, Ground, or Steel-type characteristics, but since Sandstorm is a Rock-type attack, Porygon took on that type's characteristics."

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "The Ties That Bind"))_

"So that means Sandstorm didn't do anything?" asked Tristan.

"Yup, that's right," smiled Clifford. "Now you're catching on."

"That's why Clifford had Porygon use Conversion," gasped Hillary. "He wanted to make it resistant to Larvitar's Sandstorm so it wouldn't do any damage to it."

"Now if you don't mind, it's my turn to attack," said Clifford. "Porygon, hit Larvitar with your Tri-Attack!"

Porygon focused all its power by gathering a blue, yellow, and red orb all together, forming it into a triangle. Then it launched it at Larvitar at blinding speed.

"Whoa, that's fast!" gasped Hillary.

"Quick, Larvitar, get outta the way!" shouted Tristan.

Unfortunately, Larvitar was struck before Tristan finished issuing the command, and so it was sent flying into the air.

"Larvitar!" cried Tristan.

Larvitar was airborne, but gravity soon overtook it, and it began to fall back toward the ground.

"Hang in there, Larvitar!" yelled Hillary.

"Quick, Larvitar, use Sandstorm on the ground now!" commanded Tristan.

Larvitar spun the horn on its head and waved it round and round, and it shot another powerful sand tornado at the ground. It landed in the vortex, and sure enough, thanks to Tristan's quick thinking, the Sandstorm gave it a soft landing, thus allowing it to land safely on the ground.

"That was a nice recovery," said Clifford in astonishment. "You are one respectable Trainer."

"Thank you, Clifford," replied Tristan. "You're not such a bad Trainer yourself. Larvitar, get ready to charge in again!"

Larvitar ran forward and got ready to attack.

"Porygon, Psybeam now!" instructed Clifford.

Porygon got ready to unleash a mysterious colored beam from its beak.

"Larvitar, Screech attack!" ordered Tristan.

Larvitar let out a shrilling cry, causing everyone to plug their ears; however, it did bring results, for Porygon's Psybeam was stopped before it was unleashed, as Porygon was forced to endure the noise.

"Great, Larvitar!" said Tristan excitedly. "Now finish it with Rock Slide!"

Larvitar's eyes glowed blue, and a volley of rocks appeared and floated in front of it. Then, giving them a thrust, it launched them directly at the defenseless Porygon, scoring direct hits with every rock, causing it to crash into the ground.

"No, Porygon!" cried Clifford.

Porygon lay on the ground, knocked out, as the damage from Larvitar's Rock Slide was too much for it to take.

"Porygon is unable to battle...Larvitar wins!" declared the referee.

"Awesome job, Larvitar," commended Tristan.

Larvitar gave a happy reply and nodded in approval.

Clifford returned Porygon to its Poké Ball. "Well, Tristan, I never expected your Larvitar to be this good. But now, let's see how you handle this next Pokémon!" He then threw his next Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))_

A rounded pink Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked similar to a drinking bird.

"Is that another Porygon?" gasped Tristan.

"I thought you couldn't use the same Pokémon," said Hillary.

"It looks like Porygon," explained Clifford, "but allow me to introduce its evolved form: Porygon2."

"Porygon2?" repeated Tristan. "I've never heard of such a name." He took out his Pokédex and scanned Porygon2.

_"Porygon2, the Virtual Pokémon. This upgraded version of Porygon has the power of exploring space. However, Porygon2 still lacks the power of flight."_

_I'd better finish this fast, _thought Tristan. _There's no telling how strong Porygon2 really is. _Then he commanded, "Larvitar, hit it with Rock Slide!"

Once again, Larvitar's eyes glowed blue, and a volley of rocks appeared and floated in front of it. Then, giving them a thrust, it launched them directly at Porygon2.

But just before the rocks were to hit...

"Porygon2, use Conversion2," instructed Clifford.

Porygon2 glowed in a white light just before it was hit by the rocks.

Tristan smiled, for he knew that he would score another easy victory thanks to Larvitar's Rock Slide. "Good job, Larvitar," he commended.

"Lar, Lar!" replied Larvitar.

But suddenly, Porygon2 emerged from the rubble, seeming unfazed by Larvitar's attack. Furthermore, it looked gray and clear.

"What? No way!" gasped Tristan.

"That's impossible!" exclaimed Hillary. "That was a direct hit!"

"Conversion2 allows Porygon2 to change into the type that is either immune or resistant against a type of attack that was used on it for the duration of the battle," explained Clifford. "So when Larvitar's Rock Slide hit it, Porygon2 changed into the Steel-type."

Tristan gasped in shock. He was certain that he had the battle won.

"Now, Porygon2, use your Psybeam!" ordered Clifford.

Porygon2 unleashed a mysterious colored beam from its beak, but the attack was even faster and more powerful than Porygon's Psybeam was, and it scored such a huge hit on Larvitar that it was sent flying past Tristan into one of the walls.

"Larvitar, no!" cried Tristan.

Larvitar fell to the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Larvitar is unable to battle...Porygon2 is the winner!" declared the referee.

"Poor Larvitar," said Hillary sadly. "It worked so hard."

Pikachu and Togepi felt sad for Larvitar's loss as well.

Tristan recalled his Larvitar and held the Poké Ball close to him. "Thanks, Larvitar. You earned a good rest." He took out his next Poké Ball and threw it. "Heracross, go!"

Heracross emerged from the white light that shot out of it and faced Porygon2.

"Okay, Heracross, it's all up to you now," said Tristan.

Heracross flexed its muscles and got into position for battle.

"Now, Porygon2, use Lock-On!" instructed Clifford.

_(Music Cue: Radio Tower Takeover (as heard in "A Hot Water Battle"))_

Porygon unleashed a large red circle from its beak.

The circle hit Heracross, and then it got smaller as it transformed into a red target that stuck to it.

Heracross seemed to take no notice.

"What's Lock-On?" wondered Hillary.

"I don't care what it does so long as we finish this battle fast," replied Tristan. "Heracross, Fury Attack!"

Heracross charged at Porygon2 and struck it furiously multiple times with its horn.

Porygon2 was sent flying backward, but was far from out.

"Not bad, Tristan, but now it's our turn to attack," said Clifford. "Porygon2, Zap Cannon!"

Porygon2 gathered up all the electrical energy in its beak, then it unleashed it as an electrical cyclone.

"Dodge it, Haracross, quick!" shouted Tristan.

Quickly, Heracross flew into the air to avoid Zap Cannon, but thanks to Porygon2's Lock-On, the attack continued to follow it. It soon found itself being tailed by the attack.

"Heracross, behind you!" cried Tristan.

But it was too late, for Zap Cannon finally connected with Heracross.

Heracross found itself back on the ground. It was still on its feet, but electrical energy was still surrounding it.

"Heracross, what's wrong?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"I guess I should've warned you," said Clifford. "Once Lock-On is used on an opponent, the next attack I launch is a guaranteed hit. And furthermore, Zap Cannon always paralyzes its target when it hits."

"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "That mean he couldn't miss with that! Knowing how inaccurate Zap Cannon normally is, he taught his Porygon2 how to use Lock-On to improve the chances of hitting with Zap Cannon!"

"Heracross, try as hard as you can to move!" implored Tristan.

Heracross tried, but it couldn't. It was fully paralyzed thanks to Porygon2's attack.

"I guess it's time to wrap this up," said Clifford. "Porygon2, hit it with Psybeam!"

Porygon2 shot another mysterious colored beam directly at Heracross, scoring a direct hit on it.

Heracross just stood there as it took on the attack, although it was taking serious damage.

Once the attack stopped, Heracross knelt towards the ground.

Both Pokémon were staring at one another, but Porygon2's stare forced Heracross to fall to the ground.

Heracross was finally knocked out.

"Heracross!" cried Tristan.

"Heracross is unable to battle...Porygon2 wins!" declared the referee. "The victory in this match goes to Clifford!"

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Quickly, Tristan ran to his Heracross. "Are you okay?"

Heracross opened its eyes and let out a weak, but happy reply.

Tristan breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks, Heracross, you were great. Take a long rest." And he returned Heracross to its Poké Ball. He saw Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi approaching him. "I'm sorry I didn't win that Metal Coat for you, sis."

"It's okay, Tristan," replied Hillary. "You did your best. And that's all that matters to me."

Tristan was surprised. He wasn't expecting Hillary to be this supportive since he lost. "You mean that?"

Hillary nodded. "You know what they say. It doesn't matter if you win or lose. It's how you play the game."

"The girl's right, Tristan," agreed Clifford. "You raised Heracross well. And that Larvitar of yours is outstanding! I've never seen a Larvitar as powerful as that!"

"Well, thanks, Clifford," replied Tristan as he got to his feet. He then shook his hand. "You weren't so bad yourself. Your Porygon2 was a lot better than I thought it was, especially with that Lock-On and Zap Cannon combo. I hate to admit it, but that was a really smart strategy. I'll just have to train harder and be prepared for the next time we meet."

"That's the spirit," smiled Clifford. "By the way, if you had won, what three Pokémon would you have used for the third match?"

"I would've gone with Bayleef, Quilava, and Croconaw," answered Tristan. "All my Pokémon and I train and play together just like a real family."

"Now that's awesome," said Clifford. "Thanks again for that great battle. I hope we can have a rematch someday."

"You bet," agreed Tristan.

"Come on, champ," said Hillary. "Let's go watch the third match in the lobby."

Tristan nodded in agreement as he and Hillary were led by the receptionist out of the room.

* * *

That evening, Tristan and Hillary stood outside the Battle Tower as they admired the open sea.

"Well, now I know that I have work to do," said Tristan. "But at least I feel happier knowing it."

"That's right," agreed Hillary. "And I can help you out if you'd like."

"Thanks, Hillary," smiled Tristan. "I appreciate that. Clifford was really something in those battle today. He deserved that Metal Coat."

Hillary was just about to nod in agreement when suddenly...

"Hey! Tristan!"

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra))_

Tristan was surprised to see Clifford running toward him. "What's up, Clifford?"

Clifford stopped and was breathing hard. "I'm glad I finally caught up to you. I want to give you something."

And he took out what appeared to be a cylindrical object made of complete metal.

Tristan recognized it immediately. "Wait! Isn't that the Metal Coat that was the grand prize?"

"Why are you just giving it away?" asked Hillary.

"Well, seeing as how Tristan gave me such a great battle, I just felt bad for seeing him lose," explained Clifford.

"But I don't mind losing," said Tristan. "It just means that I have much more to learn about Pokémon."

"That's true," agreed Clifford. "Everyone has a lot more to learn. But seeing how I collected so many of these Metal Coats, I decided to give one to you as a present for that great battle."

Tristan happily accepted the Metal Coat. "I don't know what to say."

"Uh, try saying thank you," reminded Hillary.

Tristan was touched by Clifford's generosity. "Thank you very much, Clifford."

"You're very welcome," replied Clifford.

Tristan then gave the Metal Coat to Hillary. "It's all yours, sis, just like I promised."

"Thanks, Tristan," smiled Hillary. "And thank you, too, Clifford."

"Don't mention it," replied Clifford. "Oh, I just remembered, there's a Gym in Cianwood City if you're interested in having a Gym battle there."

"A Gym? All right! I can't wait!" said Tristan. He got more excited by that fact.

"A good night's sleep ought to do the trick for the both of us, Tristan," suggested Hillary. "What do you say?"

"Great idea, sis," agreed Tristan. "Let's go."

And Tristan and Hillary started to leave.

"Thanks again for that great battle, Tristan!" called Clifford. "Good luck in your Gym battle!"

"Thanks, Clifford!" replied Tristan as he and Hillary waved goodbye. "I hope to see you again!"

Pikachu and Togepi waved goodbye to Clifford as well.

* * *

_In the world of Pokémon, Trainers experience victories as well as defeats. And Tristan certainly learned a lot from his battle with Clifford. And thanks to Clifford's generosity, Tristan and Hillary's day took a fateful turn for the best. Now, Tristan and Hillary's journey to Cianwood City is just one good night's sleep away, so stay tuned for more exciting Johto League adventures!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	60. CLOSE-RANGE COMBAT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! We've finally made it to the 60th chapter of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I'm having Chuck and his wife make appearances in this chapter. I'm also having the instrumental version of "Born to Be a Winner" in this chapter. You'll recall that it's the theme from _Pokémon: Johto League Champions_. Music was composed by John Siegler and John Loeffler while the lyrics were sung by David Rolfe. Please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary reach Cianwood City. Tristan decides to face Chuck so he can earn that elusive fifth badge. But will he and his Pokémon maintain their focus to attain their victory?**

**Chapter 60: CLOSE-RANGE COMBAT**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "The Chikorita Rescue"))_

_Today, our heroes are planning a trip to Cianwood City so that Tristan can face the Gym Leader, and earn that city's Gym badge. But for now, they're faced with a major emergency!_

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi watched with concern the next morning as they saw Hillary's Lapras looking unwell.

"Poor Lapras," said Hillary. "It's been feeling like this ever since I got up this morning. It doesn't even feel like giving us a ride."

Tristan felt Lapras' forehead. Sure enough, it was very hot to the touch. "Yup, I'd say your Lapras is very sick. It definitely has a high fever." Quickly, Tristan checked his backpack and saw that the supplies he had wouldn't help. "I'm afraid Lapras' fever is too high for even me to treat here. The supplies I have on hand won't be enough."

Hillary sank to the ground. "Now what'll we do? Lapras is the only means of reliable transportation we've got. And it needs help quickly."

Suddenly, Pikachu's ears pricked up, alerting Tristan and Hillary at once.

"Do you hear something out there, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Presently, a slim, blue, quadruped, mammalian Pokémon with white diamond-shape markings appeared out from the high cliffs and was speeding its way toward them. It had a thick, purple mane, which flowed beautifully as it ran.

"Whoa, what's that?" gasped Hillary.

"Whatever it is, it sure is awesome seeing it run and jump like that," replied Tristan

Pikachu and Togepi marveled in agreement.

The Pokémon landed on its feet just inches away from Tristan and Hillary. Then it saw Hillary's ailing Lapras, and it lay flat on the ground.

"Now what's it doing?" asked Hillary.

"I think it wants us to get on," replied Tristan. He turned to the Pokémon and asked, "Is that what you want?"

The Pokémon gave a nod.

"Come on, sis!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Okay!" agreed Hillary. She took out her Poké Ball and quickly returned her Lapras back into it. Then she put Togepi inside her backpack as she, Tristan, and Pikachu climbed on the Pokémon's back.

_(Music Cue: Flying Dragonite (Kairu))_

The Pokémon stood up, and set off with an enormous jump towards the sea. But instead of diving down, it seemed to be jumping and skipping on the surface of the water, just like a stone, and was doing so effortlessly.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu held on tight as they enjoyed the exhilarating ride.

"This is the best ride across the sea I've been on in a long time!" said Tristan excitedly. "Are you having a good time, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded excitedly as it felt the wind blowing its ears around.

"I certainly agree, Tristan, this is a blast!" agreed Hillary. _Let's just hope t__his Pokémon will take us to Cianwood City, _she thought. _Or better yet, a Pokémon Center._

The Pokémon continued jumping along the water's surface as it took Tristan and Hillary across the sea.

* * *

Fortunately, the Pokémon brought them to their intended destination. With a final jump, it landed neatly on the ground and walked a few paces. It then lay flat on the ground again.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu dismounted.

Tristan then noticed where he and Hillary were. "I don't believe it! This is Cianwood City!"

_(Music Cue: Ecruteak City)_

Hillary saw that Tristan was right. "The Pokémon must've guided us here. But how...and why?"

Tristan took one last good look at the Pokémon. "Thank you very much."

Pikachu and Togepi thanked it as well.

The Pokémon gave a nod, and then it jumped into the water, skipping over the surface as it went.

"Come on, let's see if we can find a Pokémon Center," suggested Hillary. "Lapras needs urgent help."

"Right," agreed Tristan.

And together, they ran all over Cianwood City in the hopes of finding a Pokémon Center.

* * *

They managed to find one a few minutes later and ran inside posthaste.

Hillary explained Lapras' dire situation to Nurse Joy.

"Yes, you're absolutely right," said Nurse Joy. "Its fever is very high. But unfortunately, I don't have the necessary medicine to help cure it."

"But there must be something you can do!" insisted Hillary. "Isn't there?"

"Well, there is a pharmacy that's been in Cianwood City for 500 years," explained Nurse Joy. "The pharmacists there make powerful medicines that are hard on fevers and ailments and gentle on the Pokémon."

"Well, then, that's that," said Hillary. "I'm going there right now, and I'm gonna find that medicine for Lapras. Nurse Joy, could you watch it for me?"

"Of course," replied Nurse Joy.

"Thanks! I'll be right back!" And Hillary ran out of the center.

"Wait for us!" called Tristan as he and Pikachu ran after her.

* * *

A short time later, they made their way to the Cianwood City Pharmacy and went inside.

"What? Your Larpas is ill? That's terrible!" said the manager after Hillary explained the situation to him. "Hold on, I have just the thing that'll help." And he took out a container of medicine from one of the shelves and gave it to Hillary. "Give this to Lapras for the next week, and it'll feel better. However, I must insist that it not battle or give you any rides until it's feeling 100 percent."

"Yes, sir," replied Hillary. "Thanks so much. I'm headed back to the Pokémon Center right now." And she ran out followed closely by Tristan and Pikachu.

"Good luck!" called the manager. "And be careful!"

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Hillary gave the first dose of the medicine to her Lapras.

Lapras seemed to be cheering up and felt better quickly after that. However, it still felt unwell.

"I wish there was something I could do to help pass the time," said Tristan.

"Actually, there is!" said Hillary. "You have a Gym battle coming up, right? Why don't we go there right now?"

"But what about your Lapras?" asked Tristan.

"Lapras will be fine until we get back," replied Hillary. "Nurse Joy's taken very good care of it so far. Besides, the manager said it didn't need to stay here at the Pokémon Center for a whole week. We just can't ride it for a whole week. And we'll figure something else out when we're ready to move on."

"You're right, sis," agreed Tristan. "Let's go to the Gym."

And together, they walked out of the Pokémon Center and started searching for the Cianwood Gym.

* * *

They walked through town while enjoying the sights.

"This city's quite a popular tourist attraction," remarked Hillary. "It's got beaches and resorts and almost everything you could ever ask for. Of course, for you, Tristan, that's not as important as winning a badge here, right?"

"Right," agreed Tristan. "Are you ready for another great battle, Pikachu?"

Pikachu eagerly nodded.

Just then, sudden noises caught Tristan and Hillary's attention.

"Whoa, what's that?" asked Hillary.

"It's coming from this direction," replied Tristan. "Come on."

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Beauty and the Breeder"))_

And he and Hillary dashed posthaste to the source of those sounds.

A fat, yet muscular man was seen training with a bipedal muscular humanoid Pokémon in gray skin. "Come on, Machoke, focus your energy!" The man had short brown hair and a large spiky mustache. He wore loose white pants and a maroon and black belt.

Machoke was giving the man chop after chop after chop while throwing all the punches.

"That Machoke looks strong," remarked Hillary. "And that man must be crazy!"

"You said it, Hillary," agreed Tristan.

Sure enough, the man looked like he was getting attacked by his own Machoke.

"Come on, Machoke, show me what you got!" yelled the man.

Machoke took a few steps back and charged toward the man. It struck him with a powerful Karate Chop.

"Whoa, that's brutal!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I'm sure glad I'm not that guy," agreed Tristan.

"Now Machoke, give it all you got!" yelled the man. "Submission!"

Machoke hit the man again and sent him rolling towards the beach.

Tristan and Hillary quickly rushed to him.

"Are you okay, sir?" asked Tristan.

"Okay?" replied the man. "That was the best Submission attack I've ever experienced in quite some time! Come here, Machoke, I'm so proud of you!" And he and Machoke embraced one another as tears fell from their eyes.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were left feeling very puzzled.

The man turned to Tristan. "Hey, you, with the glasses and hat."

"Who, me?"

"I reckon you're looking for the Cianwood City Gym, right?"

"Yes, sir, that's right," replied Tristan.

"Then let's go!" ordered Chuck. "Come on and march to the Gym! Double time!" And he began marching military style. "Hup, two, three, four, Hup, two, three, four..."

Tristan and Hillary marched along with him and his Machoke.

* * *

A few minutes later, they came to a building with a large gate in front of it.

"I guess this is it, right?" asked Hillary.

"It may not look like it, but it is," replied Tristan.

Presently, Machoke came to the Gym followed by the man, who was lagging behind and quite out of breath.

"What's the matter?" panted the man. "Can't you run?"

"Yeah, sure," replied Hillary sarcastically. "We're the one's who can't run. By the way, do you know how much further it is to the Gym?"

"Why, you're standing right in front of it," smiled the man.

Presently, several people dressed in robes came out of the Gym and said, "Greetings, Master!"

"Master?" Tristan was surprised. "Wait, does that mean..."

"Yup, that's right!" replied the man. "I'm the meanest, leanest, roughest, toughest, Fighting Pokémon Trainer in all of Johto. But you can call me Chuck."

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were left speechless.

But Tristan soon spoke up. "My name's Tristan, Chuck, and I'd like to challenge you to a Gym battle so I can compete for a Storm Badge."

"So, you're raring to go, already, huh?" smiled Chuck. "I accept your challenge, my young friend. But first...

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

"We eat, eat, eat! And then we eat some more!"

Inside the Gym, everyone had been handed a big bowl of food.

Tristan and Hillary's Pokémon were invited out to eat as well.

Chuck began stuffing his face full of food.

"I suppose we should dig in, too," whispered Hillary to Tristan.

Tristan slowly took his first bite of food. He was so satisfied with the taste that he kept on eating and eating. "This is great!" he said.

"Really?" Hillary couldn't believe her ears. So she tasted the food as well. "Awesome!" And she kept eating as well.

Just then, a woman came out of the kitchen. "So, how do you like the food?"

"We love it!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi happily agreed.

"There's plenty more where this came from if you'd like a second helping," smiled the woman. "After all, if you're planning to battle my flabby husband, you should have no problem beating him."

"Hey, who are you calling flabby?" Chuck felt a little insulted, but happily kept eating.

* * *

Half an hour later, everyone felt very happy.

"Ah, that was a great meal," sighed Tristan as he gently rubbed his stomach. "I can't eat another bite."

"Me, too," agreed Hillary. "By the way, what was that food we ate anyway?"

"It's Pokémon Power Food!" explained Chuck. "It's specially designed to power up the Pokémon and the Trainer for fighting in battle. And it improves focus, too."

Tristan could see that he felt stronger than ever. "Wow, you're right, Chuck. Now I know I'm ready for our Gym battle."

"Now that's the attitude I like to hear," smiled Chuck. "So let's go and burn off those calories!"

"I'm ready to burn them by just watching Tristan's Gym battle," said Hillary.

* * *

Tristan and Chuck positioned themselves on opposite sides of the Gym's battlefield a few moments later.

One of Chuck's students came to judge the match. "The official Cianwood City Gym battle between Chuck the Gym Leader and the challenger, Tristan from New Bark Town is about to begin. Each Trainer may use two Pokémon, and the battle will be over when both Pokémon on either side is unable to battle. The challenger may use a substitute when necessary, but the Gym Leader is not."

"All right, Tristan, I'm gonna use my Machoke and my Poliwrath!" said Chuck as he threw his Poké Ball.

A blue bipedal Pokémon with a round body and muscular arms emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a black swirl in the center of its chest.

"Wow, a Poliwrath," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Poliwrath, the Tadpole Pokémon. Poliwrath is an excellent swimmer, and its powerful muscles make its attacks extremely effective."_

Sparks crackled from Pikachu's cheeks. It wanted to battle.

"You're wanting to battle, aren't you, Pikachu?" smiled Tristan. He knew that Pikachu would have the type advantage against Poliwrath.

Pikachu eagerly nodded.

"All right then, you get in there."

Pikachu jumped onto the battlefield and prepared to face Poliwrath.

"Yeah, smart choice," said Hillary. "Pikachu's Electric attacks should be able to beat Poliwrath with no problem."

Togepi agreed with her.

"Let the battle begin!" declared the referee as he raised his flags in the air.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle (as heard in "One Trick Phony"))_

"Pikachu, start off with a Thunderbolt attack!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu launched a powerful bolt of electricity at Poliwrath, scoring an early direct hit.

"Yeah, that was super-effective!" said Hillary excitedly.

Togepi cheered loudly in agreement.

Sure enough, Poliwrath was getting zapped by Pikachu's attack, but suddenly, it managed to break free of it.

"What happened?" gasped Tristan in surprise.

"I guess I should've warned you," smiled Chuck. "My Poliwrath's got thick skin, so it's built up a resistance against Electric attacks. All right, Poliwrath, DoubleSlap attack!"

Poliwrath used its hands to deal Pikachu damage over and over.

"Poliwrath, focus your energy!" shouted Chuck. "Do it for the victory!"

Poliwrath continued to deal damage using its DoubleSlap attack.

"Whoa, that's a lot of direct hits!" said Hillary nervously. "I just hope Pikachu can handle it."

"Hang on, Pikachu!" encouraged Tristan.

"Now, Poliwrath, blast it with your Water Gun!" commanded Chuck.

Poliwrath shot a blast of water from the center of its chest and scored a direct hit on Pikachu, causing it to slide backward.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped up and ran on top of Poliwrath's Water Gun as a white line streaked behind it. It managed to ram into Poliwrath, even though it didn't take the damage from it; however Quick Attack caused its Water Gun to stop.

"Now, Pikachu, use Thunder!" commanded Tristan.

Still at close range, Pikachu managed to launch an extremely powerful bolt of electricity at Poliwrath, scoring a huge direct hit on it.

"Yeah, that should do it!" said Hillary excitedly.

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Poliwrath fell to the ground.

"Come on, Poliwrath, you can do it!" encouraged Chuck. "Focus your energy!"

Poliwrath struggled to get back on its feet, but the damage from Pikachu's Thunder was too great, and it collapsed again; it had been knocked out.

"Poliwrath!" cried Chuck.

"Poliwrath is unable to battle...Tristan's Pikachu wins the match!" declared the referee.

"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "Way to go, Pikachu."

Pikachu struck a victory pose and gave a happy reply.

"Phew!" sighed Hillary. "That was a close one. Good thing Pikachu had enough guts to stand up to Poliwrath's attacks and defeat it with Thunder at the same time."

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Chuck cried tears of joy as he congratulated his Poliwrath. "You certainly gave it your very best, Poliwrath, and for that, I'm very proud of you. And now for a well-deserved rest." He returned Poliwrath to its Poké Ball. He turned to his Machoke. "All right, Machoke, it's all up to you now."

Machoke stepped forward and prepared to face Pikachu, who was looking tired.

"Another strong Fighting-type," said Hillary to herself. "I wonder how much longer Pikachu can keep this up. That battle with Poliwrath really wore it out."

"Are you okay to keep going, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu gave a nod.

"Then let's give Machoke a Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "A Ghost of a Chance"))_

Pikachu jumped up and launched a bolt of electricity at Machoke.

"Focus your energy, Machoke!" encouraged Chuck.

Machoke stood there and took the attack head on, but soon broke free like it did nothing.

_This isn't good, _thought Tristan. _Thunderbolt didn't do a thing._

"Pikachu's tiring out fast," said Hillary to herself. "That Machoke's got skin that's as strong as steel."

"Machoke, Karate Chop attack!" ordered Chuck.

Machoke used its forearms to attack Pikachu, sending it flying and crashing into the ground.

"Now finish it off with Submission!" commanded Chuck.

Machoke rolled over and over, and sent Pikachu rolling with it.

"Pikachu, hang on!" cried Hillary.

Togepi cheered loudly for Pikachu.

Pikachu was sent crashing into one of the walls, and fell to the ground thanks to Machoke's Submission attack.

"Pikachu, can you get up, pal?" asked Tristan hopefully.

Pikachu tried getting up, but the damage from Machoke's Karate Chop and Submission combo was too much for it to take, so it collapsed again; it had been knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle...Machoke wins the match!" declared the referee.

Tristan quickly rushed over to Pikachu. "Pikachu, how do you feel?"

Pikachu gave a weak, but happy reply.

"You were great," smiled Tristan. "You just take it easy for a while." He carried Pikachu over to Hillary, who was happy to watch it for him. Then he came back to the battlefield and took out his Poké Ball. "You're gonna have to win this one by battling at close-range. Heracross, I choose you!" He threw his Poké Ball.

Heracross emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Ah, a Heracross," smiled Chuck. "All right, Machoke, let's get ready." He got into position. "Now focus your energy, Machoke, and get primed for battle."

Machoke agreed and used several Karate Chops on Chuck.

"Come on, Heracross, let's do that, too," advised Tristan.

Heracross gave a hard nod.

"Now show me a Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

Heracross flew at Tristan and used its horn to strike him.

Hillary was shocked, but Tristan hung in there for all it was worth.

"Great...that was a good one," grunted Tristan. "Just keep focused."

Heracross nodded.

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Ring Masters"))_

Everyone was focused a few minutes later.

"So, are we ready to go again?" asked Chuck.

"You bet we are," answered Tristan.

"All right, Machoke, focus your energy and use your Karate Chop attack!" instructed Chuck.

Machoke charged toward Heracross and prepared to strike.

"Heracross, use your horn to block it!" instructed Tristan.

Heracross flew in and used its horn to block Machoke's attacks.

_As long as Heracross stays focused on the team and on our victory, _thought Tristan, _then there's no doubt that we'll win that badge._

"What could Tristan be planning?" said Hillary to herself. "There's no way Heracross can win just by defending. Unless this is all part of his plan to wear Machoke down."

Heracross continued to block Machoke's attacks using its horn.

"All right, Machoke, it's time to teach Heracross a thing or two," said Chuck. "Use your Cross Chop attack!"

Machoke crossed its arms as they began to glow. Then it struck Heracross, sending it backward.

"Heracross!" cried Tristan.

"Now, Machoke, it's time to show it our most powerful attack...Submission!"

Machoke rolled into Heracross, causing them to roll all over the battlefield.

Seconds later, Heracross was sent spinning into the air.

"Hang in there, Heracross!" encouraged Tristan. "Just stay focused!"

Heracross opened its eyes and landed neatly on its feet.

"Impossible!" gasped Chuck.

"Wow, that was a nice recovery!" added Hillary. "Tristan must've tapped into Heracross' instincts and helped it focus!"

"Okay, Heracross, let's give it all we got!" commanded Tristan.

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra & Guitar (as heard in "Hook, Line, and Stinker")))_

On Tristan's command, Heracross' horn started to glow in a bright white light, and it flew straight towards Machoke.

"Wow, that must be Megahorn!" exclaimed Hillary. "Heracross must've just learned that attack!"

Sure enough, Heracross had learned to use Megahorn, and it rammed into Machoke, who was attempting to block Heracross from getting even closer.

"Come on, Machoke, focus your energy!" encouraged Chuck. "Focus on your victory!"

Machoke did its best to block Heracross from getting any closer to it.

"Heracross, full power now!" shouted Tristan.

Heracross heard him and pushed even harder, causing Machoke to lose its grip.

Machoke soon found itself flying into one of the walls and slid onto the ground.

"Machoke, focus your energy!" encouraged Chuck.

Machoke struggled to get back on its feet, but the damage from Heracross' Megahorn coupled with it crashing into the wall was too much for it to take. And it soon collapsed and fainted.

"Machoke!" cried Chuck.

"Machoke is unable to battle...Heracross wins the match!" declared the referee. "The victory goes to Tristan from New Bark Town!"

_(Music Cue: Route 26 (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"Heracross, we did it!" cried Tristan excitedly.

Heracross flew to Tristan and embraced him as Hillary, Togepi, and Pikachu approached.

"That was great, Tristan," commended Hillary. "Your Heracross' Megahorn was really something. I never expected it to learn that attack in the middle of a Gym match."

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan. "Heracross stayed focused and did the work. Heracross, you were awesome."

Heracross gave a happy nod and thanked him.

"Machoke, you gave it your all, and for that, I'm proud of you," said Chuck. "You're a winner in my book whether you win or lose." He turned to Tristan. "Well, Tristan, you and your Heracross worked very well together. You kept yourselves focused and maintained your concentration."

"Thanks, Chuck," replied Tristan.

"I reckon that if you continue to stay focused," continued Chuck, "you'll be a mighty force to be reckoned with in the Johto League. As proof of your victory here in the Cianwood Gym, I want to offer you this Storm Badge. You earned it." And he gave Tristan a badge that looked like a golden-brown fist.

"Thanks, Chuck," replied Tristan as he accepted the badge. "We'll do our best." And he happily raised his new badge in the air and proudly proclaimed, "We did it! We got the Storm Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

Heracross also did a victory pose as everyone celebrated Tristan's latest victory.

"You know what this means, right, Tristan?" said Hillary.

"You bet I do," replied Tristan. "Only three more badges to go, and soon I'll be able to compete in the Johto League."

"Then what do you say we train even harder and work towards that goal together?" suggested Hillary.

"You're on, sis," agreed Tristan.

* * *

"Jasmine still can't battle, huh?" said Tristan as he spoke with Janina on the video phone at the Pokémon Center.

"She says that there's still a long line of challengers," answered Janina. "But she managed to take on five of them just today, and I have a feeling that she will take on even more than that tomorrow. So I wouldn't worry; you'll get your chance to battle her soon."

"Thanks, Janina," replied Tristan. "I'll just be patient a little bit longer."

"Be safe out there, Tristan," said Janina.

The video screen turned off.

Nurse Joy came to Hillary with her Poké Ball at that moment. "Hillary, I'm pleased to announce that your Lapras will soon be back to normal."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. "I realize that I can't ride it until it's fully restored. But how do I get it to exercise before then?"

"Maybe it could swim alongside you when you ride another Pokémon," explained Nurse Joy.

"Hey, Tristan, let's get your Lapras," suggested Hillary. "That way, our Lapras can learn from one another."

"Great idea," agreed Tristan. "Let's talk to Professor Oak.

A moment later, they explained the situation to him on the video phone.

"Well, it's a shame that Hillary's Lapras is not feeling quite its best," said Professor Oak. "However, I'm sure that Tristan's Lapras can ferry you across the sea with no problem."

"Great," said Tristan. "Would you mind sending it here?"

"I'd be very happy to do that, Tristan," smiled Professor Oak. "However, you already have six Pokémon, so you'll have to send one to me before I can send you your Lapras."

"Which one should I send, Professor?" asked Tristan.

"I think your Heracross would be your best bet," answered Professor Oak. "With Ash's Heracross living here, your Heracross could learn a thing or two from it."

"Okay, Professor, I'll send Heracross to you," said Tristan. He took out Heracross' Poké Ball and held it close to him. "Bye, Heracross, thanks for your hard work. Be good for Professor Oak, okay?" And he put the Poké Ball on the transporter and pressed the button.

The Poké Ball transformed into white light and disappeared through the transporter. Seconds later, Lapras' Poké Ball appeared.

The switch had been made.

"I'll take good care of your Heracross," smiled Professor Oak.

"Thanks, Professor," replied Tristan.

The video screen turned off.

Just then, Chuck and his wife entered.

"I'm sorry to hear about your Gym battle in Olivine City being delayed," said Chuck's wife. "But I know what you can do to pass the time."

"What?" asked Tristan and Hillary together.

"Why don't you go explore the Whirl Islands?" suggested Chuck.

Tristan gasped in shock. "I remember those islands! Grandma took us there on our vacation just before our journey through Johto began!"

"Then I'm sure you'll have no problem navigating through them," said Chuck. "Rumors have also surfaced that mysterious Pokémon live there."

"Like Lugia?" asked Tristan.

"It's possible," replied Chuck. "Maybe you could visit those islands and check it out for yourselves. Who knows? There may be Pokémon who may have already made friends with you there."

Though he may never know it, Chuck was right on that statement; Tristan had made friends with Lugia at the very start of his Johto journey, and he was looking forward to seeing the place where it first came into the world.

"And we have something else for you," added Chuck's wife. "This is your ticket that's good for any passage through the Whirl Islands should you need it." And he handed Tristan a ticket that had a picture of a whirlpool on it.

"Thanks so much," said Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Well, sis, are you ready to explore the Whirl Islands?"

"You bet I am!" said Hillary excitedly.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Born to Be a Winner (instrumental version)_

The next morning, Tristan and Hillary were situated on the back of Tristan's Lapras, who was very excited to see them again.

Hillary's Lapras swam alongside as they left Cianwood City behind.

"Well, it's time to say goodbye to Cianwood City," sighed Tristan.

"For now," replied Hillary. "But we'll be back, won't we?"

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"I wonder what kinds of Pokémon we'll see on the Whirl Islands," said Hillary.

"Me, too," agreed Tristan. "I know we'll see some Water-types there." He then thought, _I know one Pokémon we'll see on the Whirl Islands, though. And that is Lugia. I wonder how it's doing._

* * *

_And so, Tristan earns his fifth Gym badge, getting him one step closer to entry into the Johto League. As our heroes begin to set sail towards the Whirl Islands, what Pokémon will they see there? And will Tristan reunite with his friend, Lugia? Stay tuned for the answers as our heroes' continue their unforgettable Johto journey._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	61. EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 61 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they begin their travels through the Whirl Islands. I decided to have Captain Marius make a brief appearance in this chapter as well as Professor Elm and his Corsola. Taz also shows up in this chapter and in others. I mentioned that I decided to have him as comic relief for this story instead of being a true villain. As always, please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary begin their journey through the Whirl Islands, but it's not all smooth sailing, as Taz has set his sights on stealing Water Pokémon.**

**Chapter 61: EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 1**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Takin' it On the Chinchou"))_

_Following the suggestion of Chuck, Leader of the Cianwood Gym, and his wife, our heroes decide to take a side trip and explore the Whirl Islands while they wait for an opportunity to challenge Jasmine at the Gym in Olivine City. But for now, Tristan has invited his Lapras to stay while Hillary's Lapras gets some exercise alongside it to increase its strength._

Tristan and Hillary's Lapras were embracing one another as they swam next to each other.

Their Trainers happily looked on.

"It seems like our Lapras are good buddies already, Tristan," remarked Hillary.

"You're right, sis," replied Tristan. "Those two sure hit it off right."

Pikachu and Togepi were about to agree when suddenly, they pointed to something up ahead.

"What's up, guys?" asked Hillary.

"Whoa, look at that!" exclaimed Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Sure enough, the sea ahead was full of powerful vortices of water.

"Those are whirlpools!" said Hillary. "I remember the last time we were near those things."

"Yeah, they were no picnic," added Tristan. "They nearly did us in."

"We need to get away from those things as fast as we can," suggested Hillary.

"You heard her, Lapras, let's get outta here!" ordered Tristan.

Both Lapras made a beeline for it away from the whirlpools as fast as their flippers would carry them.

Tristan and Hillary both breathed sighs of relief as the danger passed.

"That was a close one," said Hillary.

"At least there's no storm to cause trouble for us this time," added Tristan.

Presently, they saw that Hillary's Lapras was tired from quickly swimming away from the whirlpools.

"Uh-oh," said Hillary. "It looks like my Lapras is all worn out."

"Why don't you let it rest in its Poké Ball?" suggested Tristan. "I'm sure its strength will return after getting some."

"Good idea," replied Hillary. And she returned her Lapras to its Poké Ball.

Presently, they saw a boat approaching them.

A familiar figure was in a white lab coat. "Hey, do you two need a lift?"

"It's Professor Elm!" said Tristan and Hillary excitedly.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were hauled on board.

"Great to see you again, kids," said Professor Elm.

"You, too, Professor," replied Tristan and Hillary.

Professor Elm saw Tristan's Lapras swimming alongside the boat. "Say, that Lapras looks wonderful. Does it belong to either of you?"

"Yes, it's mine," answered Tristan. "I first got it after Team Rocket took over the Silph Company in Saffron City. It was shy at first, but we warmed up to each other very quickly. It loves to ferry us across the sea on its back."

"We've been using it because my Lapras was feeling unwell," explained Hillary. "We gave it some medicine and are waiting for the okay to ride it again. We were giving it some exercise to improve its strength when we just missed those whirlpools."

"Well it sounds like you have a good plan to get your Lapras back up to speed," said Professor Elm. "And now, I'd like to show you a Pokémon that I've been working with for quite some time." And he took out a Poké Ball, and it opened.

A pink coral Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Who's that Pokémon?" wondered Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.

_"Corsola, the Coral Pokémon. A combination of both Water and Rock types. It sheds and regrows the horns on its head numerous times."_

Corsola seemed to like that statement.

"I must say that that's a very well-trained Corsola, Professor Elm," remarked Hillary.

"Thanks, Hillary," replied Professor Elm. "You see, ever since seeing one, Misty from Cerulean City also wanted to catch one. It's hard to say whether she managed to catch one here on the Whirl Islands or not, but I'll tell you one thing for sure. That was practically the only thing that was on her mind."

Presently, another man came to the deck. "Hey, Professor Elm, we have more passengers?"

"Yes, Marius," answered Professor Elm. "Kids, I'd like you to meet Captain Marius, who's helping me explore the Whirl Islands. Marius, these are my friends, Tristan and Hillary."

"Hello, Captain Marius," said Tristan and Hillary.

"Well, hello, kids," replied Captain Marius. "It's nice to meet you."

"Pardon me for interrupting, but what's that island off in the distance?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, that's Blue Point Isle," answered Captain Marius. "It's one of the Whirl Islands. You can tell because of that blue rock next to the island. It helps guide travelers safely home there after being lost at sea."

"I guess that blue rock is how Blue Point Isle got its name," remarked Tristan.

"And that city in the distance is called Inland City," continued Captain Marius, "the entry point in the Whirl Islands."

"What's special about that city, Professor?" asked Hillary.

"It's the city where Trainers can register for the Whirl Cup," answered Professor Elm.

"I'd love to participate in that," said Hillary excitedly.

"Me, too," agreed Tristan.

"I'm sure that the both of you would," said Professor Elm. "But unfortunately, the Whirl Cup is a Water Pokémon tournament that takes place every three years, and I'm afraid that this year's competition ended some time ago."

Tristan and Hillary's hearts sank.

"Why didn't we get here sooner?" groaned Hillary.

"We watched Ash and Misty compete on television, remember?" added Tristan.

"Don't get so down low, kids," Professor Elm assured them.

"Why not?" asked Tristan.

"It just so happens that I'm planning a summer camp right here on the Whirl Islands," explained Professor Elm.

"A summer camp?" asked Hillary. "What's that?"

"Well, like the name says, it's a camp where people camp out during the summer months," explained Professor Elm. "I'm planning on inviting Pokémon Trainers all over the Johto region to Silver Rock Isle in the next week. And I'd like you two to be my junior counselors."

"But what do the junior counselors do, Professor?" asked Hillary.

"They help supervise, of course," answered Professor Elm. "And they help make sure that the other campers stay safe during their stay, too."

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other.

"Well, Tristan, wanna do it?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I guess since I don't have plans to face Jasmine yet, sure, why not?" agreed Tristan. He turned to Professor Elm and said, "We'll do it, Professor."

"Great," smiled Professor Elm. "I'm thinking of calling this summer camp Whirl Camp. Trainers come from far and wide to camp out. Plus they'll learn the art of the Pokémon battle and study all about the habitats of the various Water Pokémon living on the Whirl Islands."

"That sounds like fun, Professor," said Tristan.

"Why don't you guys do a little exploring until then, okay?" suggested Professor Elm. "That way, you'll get to meet all sorts of Water Pokémon."

Tristan and Hillary agreed that this was a good idea.

* * *

A few minutes later, they arrived at Inland City on Blue Point Isle.

"Well, here's your first stop, kids," said Professor Elm. "I hope to see you in a week. I'll be sending out formal invitations to you real soon, so keep your eyes out."

"We will, Professor," replied Tristan and Hillary as they waved goodbye to Professor Elm and Captain Marius. Then they started exploring Inland City.

"Hey, Tristan, while we're here, maybe we should stock up on some food and supplies," suggested Hillary.

"Great idea, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "We can use this time to prepare for Whirl Camp and get the supplies we need."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed that this was a good idea.

And together, they went to the market district.

* * *

A short time later, they stopped at the Pokémon Center to give their Pokémon a checkup.

Nurse Joy checked on Hillary's Lapras first since it was still the one who was ailing. "Yup, your Lapras is recovering nicely. And the rest of your Pokémon are in tip-top shape all around. After a good night's sleep tonight, it should be feeling more like its old self."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. She turned to Tristan. "Let's give Grandma a call, Tristan. She'll want to know where we are."

"Hillary, that's another good idea," smiled Tristan. "You're on a roll today."

"Well, someone has to be," chuckled Hillary.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pokémon Center 1997-1998 M77B)_

"So you're on the Whirl Islands, eh?" said Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother, on the video phone. "Where exactly on the Whirl Islands are you?"

"We're in Inland City," answered Tristan. "Professor Elm took us there himself."

"And he's planning a summer program called Whirl Camp," added Hillary. "And it starts in a week."

"And it takes place on Silver Rock Isle, which is where we saw Lugia hatch," put in Tristan.

"Interesting," said Veronica. "Well, it just so happens that I'll be a special guest at your camp."

Tristan and Hillary were excited by that piece of news.

"Professor Elm and Professor Oak and I all talked about it," explained Veronica, "and they wanted me to show the Trainers there some battling skills from when I was a champion Trainer. I'm sure you could learn a few things, too."

"That'll be fun," smiled Hillary. "We can't wait to see you."

"In the meantime, we just thought we'd explore the Whirl Islands until Whirl Camp starts," added Tristan.

"Now that's wonderful to hear," smiled Veronica. "I look forward to seeing you at Whirl Camp. Be safe, kids."

The video screen turned off.

"This is awesome!" said Tristan. "Grandma's gonna be there, too!"

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "I can just taste Grandma's home cooking again...not that yours is bad or anything."

Tristan gave a sigh. "Yeah, I miss Grandma's home-cooked meals, too."

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside, a familiar bearded figure was plotting. Sure enough, it was Taz. "Just look at all those Water Pokémon outside this Center. I can hardly wait to get started stealing them." He took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Electabuzz!"

Taz's Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of them.

"Go, Electabuzz, give 'em a Thunderbolt!" said Taz slyly.

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Bug Stops Here"))_

Electabuzz unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at the Water Pokémon swimming in the pool in the back of the Pokémon Center.

That bolt did not go unnoticed by Tristan and Hillary.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan in alarm.

"I know what it is, and it's not good," said Hillary as she and Tristan rushed out of the Pokémon Center to see Taz and Electabuzz zapping the Water Pokémon.

_(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "Takin' it On the Chinchou"))_

"Hey, look, it's Taz again!" exclaimed Tristan disdainfully.

"Argh! Not youse two again!" fumed Taz. "Why can't I ever lose ya? Never mind, I'll settle for the Pokémon I have and get outta here!" And he jumped into a waiting hot-air balloon, which had a net dangling from it as it rose higher and higher into the air. Then he threw a Poké Ball. "Magmar, Smokescreen attack!"

Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it and launched a gray cloud of smoke at Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi, who were forced to cough in the smoke.

"Ta-ta, kiddies!" taunted Taz as he returned his Magmar to his Poké Ball.

When the smoke cleared, they saw that Taz's balloon was rising higher and higher into the air as it drifted further and further away.

"We've gotta stop him!" said Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Bayleef, I choose you!"

Bayleef emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's orders.

"Bayleef, Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Bayleef shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at the balloon, but unfortunately, it was too high up, so Bayleef's attack fell short.

"Argh!" grumbled Tristan. "We almost had him!"

"Ha!" laughed Taz. "What's the matter? Am I a bit beyond your reach?"

"Hey, Tristan, I've got an idea," said Hillary. "Let Bayleef launch Squirtle into the air, and we'll see if Squirtle can force Taz down."

"Okay, let's try it," agreed Tristan.

"Go, Squirtle, I choose you!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball.

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Okay, Bayleef, use your Vine Whip and launch Squirtle up to that balloon," instructed Tristan.

Bayleef unleashed two vines and wrapped them around Squirtle. Then with all its might, it launched Squirtle high into the air straight towards Taz's balloon.

Taz was surprised. He never expected Squirtle to fly.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle launched a powerful blast of water from its mouth right at Taz's balloon, scoring a direct hit on it.

The balloon popped, causing it to lose all the heated air and crash straight to the ground with Taz on board, screaming as he went.

_CRASH!_

"Way to go, guys," commended Tristan.

Bayleef and Squirtle congratulated each other for a job well done as they and their Trainers ran toward the wrecked balloon.

Sure enough, Taz was crawling out from the wreckage. "That's the last balloon I'm ever thinking of using."

"Okay, Taz, it's over!" declared Hillary as she and Tristan arrived on the scene.

"Give back those Pokémon!" demanded Tristan.

Taz quickly rose to his feet. "If you think I'm gonna give those Pokémon back to you, you've got another thing coming! Go get them, Electabuzz!"

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard the first time in "The Wayward Wobbuffet"))_

Electabuzz charged into battle and headed straight towards Bayleef.

"Bayleef, Razor Leaf now!" ordered Tristan.

Bayleef shot another flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Electabuzz, who nimbly dodged them.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch!" yelled Taz.

Electabuzz made a fist as electricity crackled through it, and using that power, struck Bayleef, causing it to slide backward.

"Hang in there, Bayleef!" encouraged Tristan.

"I can help, Tristan," said Hillary. "Squirtle, Water Gun now!"

Squirtle unleashed a blast of water from its mouth and scored a direct hit on Electabuzz.

"Nice shot," commended Tristan.

"Thanks," replied Hillary.

"So you wanna play rough, do you?" grunted Taz as he took out another Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Magmar!"

Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Quick, Bayleef, use Razor Leaf to cut that net!" commanded Tristan.

Bayleef launched a flurry of razor-sharp leaves, cutting the net and setting all the captive Water Pokémon free.

"Hey, those nets are expensive!" fumed Taz. "Magmar, Electabuzz, team up and attack!"

Electabuzz and Magmar charged toward Tristan and Hillary's Pokémon.

"Squirtle, hit 'em with Water Gun at full power!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle launched its most powerful Water Gun attack, scoring a huge direct hit on Electabuzz and Magmar, sending them flying into Taz.

"All right, Pikachu, time for a Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu launched a powerful yellow bolt of electricity and scored such a huge direct hit on Taz, Electabuzz, and Magmar, that it caused an explosion that sent them flying.

_BOOM!_

"We won't forget this!" yelled Taz as he and his Pokémon blasted off into the sky.

_DING!_

"Now that's what I call teamwork," said Hillary as she and Tristan gave each other a high-five.

"Let's get those Pokémon back to the Pokémon Center," suggested Tristan.

Hillary nodded in agreement.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

A few minutes later, Tristan and Hillary returned the Pokémon safely to the Pokémon Center.

"Thank you for saving the Pokémon," said Nurse Joy. "I don't know what we would've done without your watchful eye."

"We were just at the right place at the right time, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. "Isn't that right, Tristan?"

"Yeah, that's right," agreed Tristan. "By the way, do you know the best way to get to our next destination?"

"I'd say go to the Blue Lagoon," suggested Nurse Joy. "That's a nice tourist attraction where the Parade of the Chinchou normally takes place. Although, I must admit it's a bit early for the next parade."

"Great, then we'll check that out," replied Hillary. "What do you say, Tristan? Let's check out the Blue Lagoon as part of our sightseeing adventures on the Whirl Islands. Besides, it'll be a great way to pass the time while we wait for Whirl Camp to begin, and for Professor Elm to formally send us those invitations."

"Sure, I'm in," agreed Tristan.

* * *

Thus it was a few minutes later that Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi left the Pokémon Center and began walking toward their next destination as they waved to Nurse Joy and the Water Pokémon in the Pokémon Center.

* * *

_Having begun their travels in the Whirl Islands, our heroes stop Taz once again and save the Water Pokémon in the process. Now with Whirl Camp on their minds, they begin their sightseeing travels to pass the time, and look forward to the many Water Pokémon yet to be discovered on the Whirl Islands._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	62. EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 62 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Dayton and Bright make cameo appearances in this chapter. This one's a little shorter, but there have been longer chapters, and there will be more of them coming up, so that balances out. As always, please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary encounter a Chinchou, little realizing that it's on its way to reunite with its former Trainer. However, they must overcome several obstacles, including a narrow pass and Taz!**

**Chapter 62: EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 2**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in the beginning of "Takin' it on the Chinchou"))_

_Our heroes are continuing their journey through the Whirl Islands, and today, they've decided to stop by Blue Lagoon, which is where the Parade of the Chinchou normally takes place. Then it's on to Bluefinland, which is where they will start sailing from._

Tristan and Hillary were checking out the cool view from the top of a mountain the next day.

"I can see why Blue Lagoon has such a cool view," said Tristan.

"It's too bad we don't see any Chinchou around here," replied Hillary. "It would've been nice to see the Parade of the Chinchou."

_(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity (Johto))_

Pikachu and Togepi were just about to agree when presently, a small blue fish-like Pokémon appeared. It had a round body and had a pair of antennae on its head with yellow tear-shaped orbs at the tips of them.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

_"Chinchou, the Angler Pokémon. Chinchou have the ability to conduct electrical currents from their two tentacles, which flow positive from one end and negative from the other. Chinchou can also communicate underwater by flashing its tentacles."_

Tristan suddenly remembered something about the Chinchou. "I remember facing one in the Pokémon League!"

"Oh, yeah!" added Hillary. "Trinity had a Chinchou, didn't she?"

Chinchou hopped happily, as if it were being celebrated.

"Do you suppose this Chinchou is lost?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe," replied Tristan as he crouched down to Chinchou's eye level. "Hey, there, little Chinchou, are you lost?"

Chinchou shook its head at first, but then it nodded.

"I guess it is," said Hillary.

"Maybe it got separated from its Trainer," suggested Tristan. "Is that what happened, Chinchou?"

Chinchou nodded.

"I have an idea, sis," said Tristan. "Why don't we help this Chinchou find this Trainer, whoever he is, and then we can commence our journey to Bluefinland so we can sail to our next destination."

"Okay, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "The sooner we do that, the sooner we can traverse through the Whirl Islands."

And so it was decided.

* * *

Chinchou happily hopped along as Tristan and Hillary followed it.

"This Chinchou seems like it's in a great mood," remarked Hillary.

"Yeah, it sorta reminds me of me sometimes," added Tristan.

Presently, Chinchou stopped, and its antennae drooped sadly.

"Uh-oh, something's not right," said Hillary. "Quick, Tristan, check it out."

And immediately, he did. He felt it all over, but couldn't find anything wrong with it. "It doesn't feel feverish, but it appears to be dry."

"Maybe it needs water," suggested Hillary. "Maybe if your Croconaw uses its Water Gun for a rain effect, it'll restore Chinchou's energy. And my Squirtle can help out with that, too."

_(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

"Good idea," replied Hillary as he took out his Lure Ball. "Croconaw, come on out."

Hillary took out her Poké Ball. "You come out too, Squirtle."

Croconaw and Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of them.

Croconaw immediately bit down on Tristan's head to show its affection.

"Not now, Croconaw, you're embarrassing me!" complained Tristan.

Croconaw immediately let go of Tristan's head and awaited his directions.

"Okay, aim your Water Gun towards the sky," instructed Tristan. "The water that falls should help restore Chinchou's energy."

"You help out, too, Squirtle, Water Gun!" commanded Hillary.

Croconaw and Squirtle nodded and shot out blasts of water at the sky.

Seconds later, the water fell on Chinchou like a good soaking rain, and it immediately felt much better.

"Looks like it worked," said Hillary. "Great job, Squirtle."

"You, too, Croconaw," commended Tristan. "Hey, that looks like fun!" And he immediately jumped into the shower of water and joined Chinchou in the fun of getting wet. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"What are you doing, Tristan?" asked Hillary, who was confused.

"Having fun!" replied Tristan. "And getting wet, too! Come on, give it a try!"

Hillary thought about it for a moment. "That does look like fun, doesn't it?" And she joined Tristan in the shower of water. "You're right, this is fun!"

"See? I told you," said Tristan.

And they splashed about for the duration of the morning hours.

* * *

Later, they both returned their Pokémon to their balls.

"Ah, that was refreshing," said Hillary. "I'm surprised we didn't think of doing this sooner."

"Yeah, I can see why Chinchou enjoys getting wet," replied Tristan. "It's like having fun at a water park. Now let's get going. I'm sure Chinchou wants to get to its destination as quickly as possible."

"Right," agreed Hillary.

And together, they set off once again with Chinchou leading the way.

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Meanwhile, a familiar bearded figure was watching from the bushes. It was Taz, and he was intrigued by Chinchou's appearance. "Now this looks interesting," he said with an evil smirk. "With a Water Pokémon like Chinchou, I'm sure it'll be no match for my Electabuzz. After all, water conducts electricity. I must have it."

* * *

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi, and Chinchou marched on. They soon came to a bridge.

"This bridge looks a little rickety," said Tristan nervously.

Chinchou seemed to agree. It felt hesitant to cross it.

"Don't worry, Chinchou, we'll cross it together," Hillary assured it. She went on the bridge first.

Chinchou followed with Tristan and Pikachu bringing up the rear.

Sure enough, they managed to cross the bridge without incident.

"At least we made it," said Tristan.

"With ease," added Hillary. "But now we have another obstacle to get through."

Sure enough, they saw a mountain pass they had to cross.

"Great, now what?" grumbled Tristan.

"We get across that valley," answered Hillary. "Come on." And she led the way feeling confident.

Tristan had to chuckle. "That sounds like me, doesn't it?" And he and Pikachu followed as Chinchou tagged behind.

As they went on, the path became more and more narrow.

"Be very careful, Hillary," warned Tristan. "There's no telling how big of a drop below it is if we fall off."

"Don't worry, Tristan, I'm feeling very lucky," replied Hillary.

Unfortunately, she was feeling more plucky than lucky, for at that very moment, the edge of the cliff broke loose, causing her to lose her footing and fall.

"Hillary!" cried Tristan as he quickly grabbed her hand.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

Fortunately, Hillary was holding Togepi, preventing it from falling down. Then she looked down and saw the seemingly bottomless crater, causing her to cringe in fear.

"Whatever you do, Hillary, don't look down!" shouted Tristan.

"Too late!" replied Hillary as small rocks fell from the cliff.

"Just hang on and don't let go of Togepi!" encouraged Tristan. "I'm gonna try and pull you up!" And he and Pikachu started pulling as they hung on to her.

It took all their strength, but they managed to haul Hillary and Togepi to safety.

Tristan and Hillary managed to catch their breath.

"Phew!" sighed Hillary. "That was close. Thanks, Tristan. But I have to apologize for being careless back there."

"I'm just glad you're safe," replied Tristan. "That's all that matters to me." And he hugged Hillary tightly.

"Ugh!" grunted Hillary. "Tristan, could you please stop squeezing me so hard?"

Tristan slackened his grip. "I guess I was still feeling a little scared. I thought I might lose you."

Hillary let out a small smile. She was glad to be back in one piece with Tristan again.

* * *

They continued on the narrow path a short time later.

"Let's hold hands," suggested Hillary. "That way we'll know we're safe."

"Good idea," replied Tristan as he held Hillary's hand.

And they proceeded slowly and carefully through the pass.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

A few minutes later, they managed to make their way to the beach.

"Hey, look, we made it!" cried Hillary excitedly as she ran to the shore.

Tristan could see that she was right. They had made it to shore, and Chinchou's apparent destination.

Chinchou was obviously very excited.

"I guess this must've been where Chinchou was leading us," said Tristan. "I wonder why."

Tristan was about to find out, for suddenly, a boy wearing a yellow t-shirt and orange jacket suddenly appeared and ran toward the beach.

The Chinchou was happy to see him, and it hopped away from Tristan and Hillary.

"Wait, Chinchou, where are you going?" asked Hillary.

Then the Chinchou leaped into the boy's arms.

"Whoa, Bright, what are you doing here?" asked the boy. He was very confused. "Did you come here just to see me?"

The Chinchou nodded.

Tristan was surprised. "Wait, you know this Chinchou?"

The boy nodded. "This is Bright. I know this Chinchou because I released it to the sea not too long ago after we participated in the Parade of the Chinchou. I guess it wanted to explore and must've come here to see me for a little while. Isn't that right, Bright?"

Bright nodded.

"I'm Dayton," said the boy. "Thanks for leading Bright to me. I guess I missed it more than I thought, so it decided to come out here to see me."

"I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary," said Tristan.

"Hello," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Dayton warmly.

But just then, a pair of hands snatched Bright from behind!

"Hey, what's going on?" demanded Dayton.

Taz revealed himself. "Thanks for the Chinchou, kid."

"It's Taz!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary disdainfully.

"Now, I've gotta run," smirked Taz. "I have some water I must put on this little Chinchou."

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Beauty and the Breeder"))_

And he started running off.

"Not so fast!" shouted Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball and threw it. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and stood in front of Taz, preventing him from making a clean getaway.

"Water Gun attack!" ordered Hillary.

"Go, Magmar!" shouted Taz as he threw his Poké Ball.

Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it and stood in front of Squirtle.

"Quick, Magmar, use your Smokescreen!" commanded Taz.

Magmar released a cloud of gray smoke from its mouth, enveloping Squirtle and everybody else in it.

Everyone coughed as the smoke grew thicker and thicker.

Squirtle, remembering Hillary's command, blasted through the smoke with its Water Gun.

Slowly, but surely, the smoke cleared, and everyone was able to catch their breath.

"Thanks for clearing the smoke, Squirtle," said Hillary.

Squirtle nodded.

"Look!" cried Dayton. "Bright's gone!"

Everyone saw that Dayton was right, for Taz had used the cover of smoke to steal Bright away.

"Don't worry, Dayton," Tristan assured him. "We'll get Bright back for you in no time."

Presently, Pikachu pointed to something in the sand.

"Hey, look!" said Tristan. "Footprints!"

"They must belong to Taz!" added Hillary.

"I bet if we follow them, they'll lead us straight to him!" said Dayton.

"What are we waiting for?" said Tristan excitedly as he, Hillary, and Dayton followed the footprints through the sandy beach.

* * *

Meanwhile, Taz was still gleefully running with Bright still in his grasp. "Well, not to worry, my young friend, you'll get a fresh dose of water."

But sparks crackled from Bright's antennae, and it delivered a paralyzing Thunder Wave, shocking him instantly.

Taz fell to the ground. "Wow, good attack," he said in a daze. "I never knew you gave such shocking results."

"Hold it right there, Taz!"

Taz turned around and saw Hillary along with Tristan and Dayton. "Argh! How'd you find us?"

"You wouldn't have been so easy to follow if you hadn't left these footprints behind," smiled Tristan.

Taz could see that Tristan was right. He saw his footprints, and realized that he forgot to cover his tracks.

"Now hand Bright over right now!" demanded Dayton.

"No!" replied Taz scornfully. "If you want this little Chinchou back, you'll have to battle me first! Go get 'em, Electabuzz!" He took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

_(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"That thing doesn't scare us!" said Dayton. "Ready, guys?"

"You bet!" replied Hillary. "Let's do it, Squirtle!"

Squirtle charged in to battle Electabuzz.

"You get in there, too, Pikachu," said Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and ran into battle as well.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch, go!" yelled Taz.

Electabuzz made a fist as electricity crackled through it, and launched its attack at Pikachu, who nimbly dodged it.

"Give 'em a Thunderbolt!" shouted Taz.

Electricity crackled through Electabuzz's body, then it shot a bolt of electricity at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, look out!" cried Hillary.

"Stay and take it, Bright!" instructed Dayton.

Bright jumped in front of Squirtle and stayed where it was as Electabuzz's electricity surged through it. When it stopped, it felt more refreshed by the attack.

"Hey, thanks, Dayton," smiled Hillary.

"You're welcome," replied Dayton.

Taz was confused. "Huh? What happened? That Thunderbolt attack didn't work."

"You should've known that Bright has Electric-type characteristics, too," smiled Dayton. "Anyone could see that you failed Pokémon Battling 101 if you didn't know that fact."

Taz fumed at that statement.

"Guys, let's team up," suggested Tristan.

Hillary and Dayton nodded in agreement.

"Squirtle, hit Electabuzz with your Water Gun now!" instructed Hillary.

Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth and scored a direct hit on Electabuzz, pushing it into Taz, and getting them soaked in the process.

"Okay, ready, Tristan?" asked Dayton.

"Ready," replied Tristan. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!"

Bright, Spark attack now!" ordered Dayton.

Pikachu shot a powerful bolt of electricity from its cheeks while Bright shot a powerful electric blast from its antennae. Together, they combined into one and shocked Taz and Electabuzz so much that the surge caused an explosion that sent them skyward.

_BOOM!_

"We won't forget this!" screamed Taz as he and Electabuzz disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"Great job, everyone," commended Tristan.

"Yeah, that was good, wasn't it?" agreed Hillary.

"I must admit that was simply electrifying," put in Dayton.

Everyone had to laugh at Dayton's joke.

* * *

_(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra)_

That evening as the sun set, everyone was getting ready to say goodbye to Bright as it prepared to head out to sea once again.

"It was great seeing you again, Bright," said Dayton.

Bright nodded and gave a happy reply. It was just as happy that it had a chance to reunite with its Trainer.

"Come back soon, okay?" said Dayton.

Bright gave a nod.

Then suddenly, a wave hit the shore, taking Bright with it.

Dayton felt sad, but said, "I miss Bright already, but I know that we'll see each other again someday soon."

"That's right, Dayton," agreed Hillary as she put her hand on his shoulder. "And I know that'll happen soon. Right, Tristan?"

"That's right," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi also agreed.

* * *

Later, Dayton led Tristan and Hillary to the pier in Bluefinland and said his goodbyes.

Tristan sent his Lapras out, and he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi hopped on board.

"This route will take you straight to Yellow Rock Isle," explained Dayton. "You should be there before it gets too late."

"Thanks for everything, Dayton," said Tristan.

"Thank you for helping me reunite with Bright," replied Dayton. "It was also fun battling alongside you."

"We had a blast," smiled Hillary.

"An electrifying blast," put in Tristan.

Everyone had to laugh at that joke.

Then Lapras started pulling out.

"Bye, guys!" called Dayton as he waved goodbye. "Have a safe trip! Come back and see us again, okay?"

"We will! Bye now!" called Tristan and Hillary as they waved back.

Pikachu and Togepi also waved goodbye.

* * *

_And so, as our heroes leave Blue Point Isle and their new friend Dayton, they look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead as they continue exploring the Whirl Islands. What adventures await them on Yellow Rock Isle? Wait and see, won't you?_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	63. EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 63 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Whirl Islands in the Johto region. I decided to put Andrea, Mika, and their father as well as the shop attendant in this chapter. You may recall their appearances on the _Pokémon: Master Quest _episode: "A Corsola Caper," where Misty caught her Corsola. As always, please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After a tiring evening of travel, Tristan and Hillary get a good night's rest at the Pokémon Center and meet some artisans at the local jewelry shop on Yellow Rock Isle, but Taz wants to sell the jewelry for cold-hard cash, and it's up to them to stop him.**

**Chapter 63: EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 3**

_(Music Cue: Surf 1999-2001)_

_Today, or should I say tonight, our heroes are sailing in the open sea toward their next adventure. Their next destination: Yellow Rock Isle._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all felt relaxed as Tristan's Lapras swam serenely.

"This is one of the nicest rides anyone could ever ask for," said Hillary.

"You said it, sis," agreed Tristan. "I've never felt this relaxed before."

Pikachu and Togepi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, just looking at the clear sky and the bright moon in it," added Hillary. "And seeing how calm the sea is makes it even more relaxing."

"A trip like this one on a moonlit night couldn't be more perfect," sighed Tristan.

Lapras seemed to be enjoying itself carrying Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi on its back.

"Your Lapras seems to be having a relaxing time, too," remarked Hillary. "And it seems really happy, too."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Lapras does love to ferry people, doesn't it?"

Presently, Hillary gave a yawn. "I'm getting sleepy."

"Me, too," yawned Tristan. "I just hope we find Yellow Rock Isle soon. And he closed his eyes and began to doze off.

Hillary closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Presently, Pikachu saw an island ahead and tapped on Tristan's shoulder.

Tristan took no notice.

Pikachu tapped harder on Tristan's shoulder.

Tristan opened his eyes and slowly sat up. "What is it, Pikachu?"

Pikachu pointed to the island as they got closer and closer to it.

"Whoa, that's Yellow Rock Isle! We made it!" cried Tristan excitedly. Then he nudged Hillary. "Hillary, wake up!"

Hillary opened her eyes and yawned. "What? Did you say something, Tristan?"

"Look! Land ho!" said Tristan as he pointed to Yellow Rock Isle.

Hillary rubbed her eyes and saw it. "Oh, boy, we made it! And that city must be Megi City in the distance! Now we can find a nice soft bed to sleep in."

"Okay, Lapras, full speed ahead to Yellow Rock Isle!" commanded Tristan.

Lapras gave a squeal of delight as it picked up speed toward Yellow Rock Isle.

"Well, there's no need to worry about sleeping now," said Hillary. "I'm wide awake." She then gave another yawn.

"I'm sorry, now what was that you were saying?" asked Tristan.

"I guess I'm not as awake as I thought I'd be," replied Hillary.

"Well, we could all use a little shuteye," suggested Tristan. "As soon as we dock on Yellow Rock Isle, we'll find a Pokémon Center so we can sleep. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great," yawned Hillary. "If only I can keep my peepers open."

"Let's hope you can," said Tristan. "Otherwise, I'll have to carry you."

Tristan and Hillary did their best to stay awake as Lapras got closer and closer to Yellow Rock Isle.

* * *

They docked on Yellow Rock Isle a few minutes later.

"Thanks for the ride, Lapras," said Tristan as he returned it to its Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Hillary gave her biggest yawn yet, and she started to waver on one side.

Luckily, Tristan caught her. "I think I'd better carry you." And he got her on his back just as she fell asleep, and carried her on the streets of Megi City. "You're getting heavy," he grunted as he struggled to keep her balanced on his back. "You're growing way too much. I just hope I can make it to the Pokémon Center before I have to rest." And he continued walking.

Togepi gave a yawn from Hillary's backpack, withdrew into its shell and fell asleep soon after.

Pikachu walked beside Tristan as they slowly made their way to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Fortunately, the Pokémon Center was close to the port, and they managed to arrive there a few moments later.

Nurse Joy saw them walking in and saw Tristan carrying a sleeping Hillary on his back. "Whoa, you guys must be tired."

"Yeah, we are," replied Tristan.

"I can certainly give you rooms for the night," smiled Nurse Joy. "You deserve them."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy, that'll be great," said Tristan.

Nurse Joy led them to the bedroom filled with the softest pillows and sheets.

Tristan helped Hillary get into bed and tucked her in. "Pleasant dreams, sis," he said, and gently rubbed Hillary on the shoulder as she slept. He took off her glasses and put them in a safe place. Then he put the sleeping Togepi next to Hillary. Next, he got himself ready for bed. Then he looked at the moon in the night sky with Pikachu. "That sure is a wonderful way to end the day."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Just look at that moon and the stars," whispered Tristan. "I wonder how different our world looks from up there."

Pikachu was about to agree when it gave a yawn.

"You must be tired, too," said Tristan. "Let's get some sleep. By morning, we'll be refreshed and enjoy our stay on Yellow Rock Isle."

Pikachu got into bed with Tristan, and soon, they both fell fast asleep.

Voices of several Pokémon could be heard in the distance as they slept peacefully all through the night.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all woke up feeling refreshed and ready for another day of adventure.

"That was a good night's sleep," yawned Hillary as she stretched.

Tristan had to agree. He felt just as refreshed as Hillary did. "I know what'll help us be even better prepared for the day ahead."

"Wait, let me guess," replied Hillary. "You're thinking that a good breakfast will help us get the energy we need to get through the day, right?"

"Yup, you got it," said Tristan.

"That doesn't surprise me," chuckled Hillary. "With all the journeying we've done together, it's not hard to see why."

They got themselves ready for the day and had breakfast in the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

* * *

Afterwards, they went and explored Megi City on Yellow Rock Isle.

"The rock formations are yellow," remarked Tristan. "I guess that's how Yellow Rock Isle got its name."

"Who'd have thought there'd be so many?" agreed Hillary. "I guess that's why we couldn't see them in the dark."

Sure enough, the rocks on Yellow Rock Isle were yellow, and so were the streets.

"According to what I've heard about Yellow Rock Isle," said Hillary, "it relies on many different kinds of Pokémon for its fishing and farming industries."

"Any idea of which Pokémon Yellow Rock Isle depends on?" asked Tristan.

"Not a clue," replied Hillary.

Presently, they came to a unique gift shop that was full of pink art pieces.

"Look at those!" said Tristan. "They sure look pretty."

"I agree. They look nice," replied Hillary. "And they're pink! That's my favorite color, you know."

A shop attendant appeared. "All those items you see are made with Corsola horns."

"Corsola horns?" Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"Yup, every year, Corsola shed their horns and we use them to make these pieces," explained the attendant.

"They sure look beautiful, don't they?" agreed Hillary. "Grandma used to take Tristan and me through antique shops and look for pieces of art like that."

The attendant then laid his eyes on Tristan's Pikachu. "Excuse me, I really like your Pikachu."

Pikachu seemed to like that comment.

"Why's that?" asked Tristan.

"We Yellow-Rock Islanders love yellow Pokémon," explained the attendant. "They make us really excited."

"That's a nice thing to say, isn't it, Pikachu?" said Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"And that Togepi looks wonderful, too, with its cute yellow body and cute yellow arms and feet," added the attendant.

"Togepi sure is cute, isn't it?" replied Hillary.

Togepi chirped in agreement.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Theme (as heard in the Japanese version of "Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei"))_

Meanwhile, Taz came to the back of the store and quietly broke in. His goal this time was to make a fortune by stealing all the jewelry in the shop. "Heh!" he snickered. "I can see why this shop's so popular with tourists." He opened a box and saw a stash of Corsola jewelry. "Look at that! If I sell this load of trinkets, I'll make a bundle! And he took out a bag and put the jewelry in the box in it.

Unfortunately for him, when he took the big box off the shelf, the little box started to waver. Seconds later, it fell off the shelf.

Taz quickly caught it and managed to keep the bag in his hand, but he landed on his bottom with a loud thud.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and the attendant heard that thud from all the way outside.

"What was that?" asked Hillary.

"I'll go check it out," replied the attendant. And he ran to the back of his store to see Taz stealing two boxes of Corsola jewelry in one bag. "Hey, you! How did you break into my shop?"

"Ah, so you're the owner," smiled Taz. "Sorry I disturbed you, but I gotta run. I have some jewelry to sell, and I can't waste time chitchatting." And he took out his Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Magmar!"

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "Hatching a Plan"))_

Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it and faced the attendant, who stood back.

"Magmar, Smokescreen now!" ordered Taz.

Magmar unleashed a cloud of gray smoke from its mouth and enveloped the attendant in it, causing him to choke.

The attendant managed to trigger an alarm inside the shop.

Tristan and Hillary heard that very sound and gasped in shock.

"That must be the alarm!" said Hillary.

"That means there's a thief in the shop!" replied Tristan. "Come on, let's go!"

And they hurried off to the back of the shop and saw the attendant crawling out from the thick smoke.

Then Tristan and Hillary saw the fleeing Taz as the attendant gave chase and shouted, "Stop! Thief!"

"Oh, great, not Taz again," fumed Hillary.

"Let's go after him," advised Tristan.

And they hurried off to assist the attendant.

Taz was still a Poké-length ahead of the attendant with the stolen jewelry in tow.

Tristan and Hillary managed to catch up with the attendant.

"Hey! What happened?" called Hillary.

"That guy!" panted the attendant. "He stole my jewelry!"

"No sweat!" replied Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Bayleef, I choose you!"

Bayleef emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's orders.

"Okay, Bayleef, stop Taz with your Vine Whip now!" commanded Tristan.

Bayleef shot two vines from the leaf necklace and, causing Taz to trip over them and fall to the ground, and sending the bag of jewelry flying.

Fortunately, Hillary saw the flying bag and caught it safely in her hands.

"Hey, nice catch, Hillary," smiled Tristan.

"Thanks, big bro," replied Hillary.

Tristan turned to Taz. "You should be ashamed of yourself stealing that jewelry," he scolded. "Has no one taught you manners, Taz?"

Taz angrily got to his feet. "YOU have the right to talk about manners? Let's talk about _your_ manners, little boy! I believe it was rude of you to take my jewelry without asking!"

"Except that jewelry doesn't belong to you," retorted Tristan. "It belongs in the shop!"

"We'll see about that," replied Taz as he threw two Poké Balls. "Magmar, Electabuzz, go!"

_(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Magmar and Electabuzz emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"All right, go get 'em, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and charged into battle.

The attendant was conflicted as he saw Taz's Electabuzz. "Normally, I like Electabuzz, but it's too mean and evil to receive any honorable mentions from me."

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt! Magmar, Flamethrower!" yelled Taz.

Electabuzz launched a bolt of electricity from its body while Magmar shot a blast of fire from its mouth.

"Dodge, then use Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu easily dodged both Electabuzz's Thunderbolt and Magmar's Flamethrower as it ran from side to side with a white line streaking behind it. Then it rammed into Electabuzz, sending it flying into Taz.

"Augh! Get off!" yelled Taz.

"Bayleef, hit Magmar with your Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Bayleef charged full-body style into Magmar, sending it flying into Electabuzz and Taz.

Electabuzz and Magmar had knocked each other out on the spot.

Taz was very angry. "Will youse two get offa me and start battling?!"

"I must admit," said Hillary to herself. "Tristan seems to be getting better and better with each battle. And his Pokémon seem to be getting just as strong. He's learning to become a master in the art of the Pokémon battle."

"Now, let's get rid of 'em, Bayleef," ordered Tristan. "Send 'em all flying with Vine Whip!"

Bayleef once again launched two vines from its leaf necklace and wrapped them around Taz, Electabuzz, and Magmar. Then it spun them all round and round until, with a final thrust of strength, it sent them flying high into the air.

"We won't forget this!" yelled Taz as he and his Pokémon disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"I don't know how to thank you all for saving my jewelry," said the attendant.

"We were just glad we could help," replied Hillary. "Right, Tristan?"

"That's right, sis," agreed Tristan. "Pikachu and Bayleef helped out, too."

Pikachu and Bayleef smiled and nodded in agreement.

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

Presently, a man with a younger and elder girl came to the scene.

The man spoke first. "What's going on here?"

"These Trainers just helped me get our jewelry back," answered the attendant.

"Well, thank you both for recovering the jewelry," said the man.

"You're most welcome," replied Hillary.

The elder girl introduced herself and her family. "I'm Andrea, and this is my little sister, Mika."

"Hi," said Mika.

"And this is my father, who owns the shop," added Andrea.

"I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary," said Tristan. "And of course, this is Pikachu and Bayleef. And Togepi, of course."

"Hello," said Hillary.

Pikachu, Togepi, and Bayleef all greeted the newcomers warmly.

"That jewelry, as you know, comes from Corsola horns, which come from these Corsola, who live on nests, which are situated on our home's foundation," explained Andrea.

"Our family business thrives with all this jewelry," added Andrea and Mika's father. "We have Corsola that shed their horns, making it easy for us to collect them. And we also call them by their nicknames."

"Their names are Annie, Danny, Connie, Bonnie, Johnny, Donny, Ronny, and Lonnie," said Mika. "A lot of people get confused because of the names, but we can tell which one's which."

"That's a lot of Corsola to take care of," remarked Hillary.

"When a wild Corsola scared off our Corsola, they all left the nests, and the foundation on our house broke apart, causing it to float away with little Mika on board," said Andrea. "Luckily, three other Trainers came to her rescue and saved her from that nasty whirlpool."

"Boy, I'm sure glad they did," said Tristan. "Those whirlpools are dangerous, especially in storms."

"And they are no picnic," added Hillary. "And I ought to know because Tristan and I nearly got sucked into one ourselves."

"But we made it out in one piece," put in Tristan. "That's what counts."

"So what happened with the wild Corsola?" asked Hillary.

"Misty caught it after it and the others sent Team Rocket flying," replied Mika. "She promised to take care of it like a family member."

"It knew a pretty good range of attacks," added Andrea. "Besides Spike Cannon, it knew Tackle, Recover, and Mirror Coat."

"Wow, such a powerful range of attacks," remarked Tristan. "I can see why Misty wanted one."

"I'm gonna go ahead and take this bag of jewelry back to the shop," said Mika.

Her father agreed that it was a good idea.

But just as Mika was about to take it back, a String Shot attack came out of nowhere and snatched the bag of jewelry from her hands.

"What's going on?" gasped Andrea.

_(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "A Corsola Caper"))_

Everyone turned to see Ariados with Taz as he took the bag from its string.

"It's Taz again!" exclaimed Tristan.

"I thought we got rid of you!" added Hillary.

"Ha-ha!" laughed Taz. "I have ways of coming back after a humiliating defeat. Thanks for guarding that bag for me, kids, but I'll be taking it back now."

"We'll see about that, Taz!" replied Hillary.

"Ariados, use your String Shot attack, and make sure that they're all tied up," instructed Taz.

Ariados shot another round of string from its mouth and tied Tristan, Hillary, and their friends up.

"Hey, let us go!" demanded Tristan.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but you look a little tied up at the moment!" laughed Taz as he started running.

Quickly, Tristan took out his Fast Ball. "Quick, come out, Quilava."

Quilava emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Quilava, break this string with your Flamethrower!" instructed Tristan.

Quilava unleashed a Flamethrower to burn through Ariados' String Shot, freeing everybody.

"All right, let's go after Taz!" suggested Hillary.

And so they did.

* * *

Taz kept running as fast as he could with Ariados not too far behind. "At last, I'm gonna sell that treasure, and there's nothing those kids can do to stop me!"

"Not so fast, Taz!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Taz turned around to see Tristan and his friends rapidly catching up with him. "Argh! How'd you break free from Ariados' string?"

"We think fast on our feet and know what to do," replied Tristan. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

And Pikachu sped toward Taz and Ariados with a white line streaking behind it, and successfully rammed into them, sending the bag flying out of Taz's grip.

Once again, Hillary caught the bag in her hands.

"Wow, Hillary, that's two for two," remarked Tristan.

"Good thing I learned how to catch when I was growing up," replied Hillary.

Taz seethed in anger. "That treasure is mine! I want it back! Ariados, use your best String Shot to get that bag back, and do it now!"

Ariados shot another String Shot attack towards the bag.

"Quilava, Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan.

Quilava ignited the flames on its head and back and shot a powerful flame, blasting Ariados' String Shot and scoring a direct hit on Ariados.

"Ariados!" cried Taz.

Ariados had been knocked out by Quilava's attack.

"Return, Ariados," said Taz as he recalled it into its Poké Ball. "How could you be so mean? Now youse made me mad!" He took out two more Poké Balls and threw them. "Magmar, Electabuzz, let's go again!"

Magmar and Electabuzz emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Okay, are you ready, Pikachu and Bayleef?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu and Bayleef nodded.

"Electabuzz, hit 'em with a Thunderbolt!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz unleashed a bolt of electricity from its body.

Bayleef saw the attack coming and deflected it by spinning the leaf on its head round and round at amazing speed.

"Yeah, way to go, Bayleef," commended Tristan.

Bayleef gave a nod.

Andrea was impressed. "That Bayleef knows how to defend itself from almost any attack Taz throws its way."

"Oh, yeah?" replied Taz. "We'll see how well that Bayleef defends itself against Magmar's Flamethrower!"

Magmar shot a powerful flame from its mouth at Bayleef.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity from its cheeks at Magmar's Flamethrower.

Both attacks collided, creating a huge explosion, causing a cloud of thick smoke to form.

"Where'd those Pokémon go?" asked Taz, who was frantically searching for them.

"Bayleef, Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Bayleef rushed out of the cloud of smoke and rammed into Electabuzz and Magmar, causing them to fall on Taz.

"Argh! Not again, you two!" fumed Taz. "Get up and fight right, will ya?

"Okay, Bayleef, use Vine Whip to send them all flying!" commanded Tristan.

Bayleef launched its vines from its leaf necklace, and wrapped them around Taz and his Pokémon, just like before, and once again, it spun them round and round until, with a final thrust, sent them skyward.

"This is getting old," he fumed. "And we're not getting any younger!" And he and his Pokémon disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Later, Tristan and Hillary helped get the jewelry back into the shop.

"How can we thank you for helping us today?" said Andrea.

"Yes, you guys were a big help," added her father.

"We were just glad we could help," replied Hillary.

"We were hoping you can tell us how to get to the next town," said Tristan.

"Oh, it's pretty easy," replied Andrea. "It's a straight path from here. Follow it, and you'll reach Ogi City. There's a port there with a ferry that runs to Red Rock Isle once a day if you prefer ferries."

"All right, then, next stop: Ogi City!" said Hillary.

"You said it, Hillary," smiled Tristan.

Pikachu and Togepi eagerly agreed.

* * *

"Bye, guys!" called Andrea. "Thanks for your help!"

"Take care!" added Mika. "Have a safe trip!"

"We will! Bye!" replied Tristan and Hillary as they and their Pokémon waved to Andrea, Mika, and their father. Then they started walking toward their next destination.

* * *

_Having once again helped out someone in need, our heroes continue their journey across Yellow Rock Isle, eagerly waiting for Whirl Camp to begin on Silver Rock Isle. But getting there is only half the fun._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	64. EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 64 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue sailing through the Whirl Islands. I decided to have Luka from the anime appear in this chapter. I'm planning to have her appear in a future chapter also. But for now, please enjoy, and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: On their way to Red Rock Isle, Tristan and Hillary embark on an undersea adventure with their new friend Luka as they learn more secrets of the Silver Wing and what life is like under the sea. But Taz wants to steal a powerful Mantine all for himself! Can our heroes stop him?**

**Chapter 64: EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 4**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in the beginning of "Takin' it on the Chinchou"))_

_Our heroes are still journeying through the Whirl Islands, and have made it to the port in Ogi City on the other side of Yellow Rock Isle. But little do they know that a surprise is soon headed their way._

"Well, sis, I guess it's time to say goodbye to Yellow Rock Isle," said Tristan the next day.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," replied Hillary. She was a little sad. "I really enjoyed seeing all the yellow things on Yellow Rock Isle, and I also liked seeing all that pink jewelry."

"It was beautiful to see, wasn't it?" agreed Tristan. "I'll tell you what. As soon as we see Grandma again, we'll tell her all about this shop on Yellow Rock Isle, and we'll see about visiting it again someday."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Now all we have to do is wait for the ferry that'll take us to Red Rock Isle, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Presently, a woman came to Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi. "What's up, guys? Do you need a lift to Red Rock Isle?"

"Yes, please, that'd be great," replied Tristan and Hillary.

* * *

A few moments later, they had taken off in the woman's boat.

"My name's Luka," said the woman. "And I'm so pleased to meet you."

"Hi, my name's Tristan," said Tristan. "This is my sister Hillary, and our Pokémon, Pikachu and Togepi."

"Hello," said Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Luka warmly.

Suddenly, Luka spotted the Silver Wing around Tristan's neck. "Whoa, that's a Silver Wing! How'd you manage to find one?"

"Well, you see..." And Tristan told his story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Calm After the Storm)_

"It all started when Hillary and I were vacationing on Silver Rock Isle on the Whirl Islands," began Tristan. "When Pikachu and I saved the two Lugia eggs from a wild Tentacruel near Ogi Isle, we were allowed to see the parent Lugia hatch its two eggs. They were baby Lugia, of course, and one of them swam over to meet me right away. I didn't realize it back then, but it had dropped a Silver Wing right where it first met me.

"Then, after it had learned to fly at an early age, it had to leave its family behind to prevent it from being exposed to any further danger. While it was flying in search of me, it got attacked by Team Rocket in an attempt to capture it. It fell out of the sky and easily landed in my hands. We took it to the Pokémon Center to get it some treatment, and I was able to calm it down after it was in a very distressed state. I promised to protect it, and it grew big and strong in record time. I'll never forget the feeling of flying on its back like that, especially when we were being chased by Team Rocket.

* * *

"After our battle with Team Rocket, Lugia gave me the Silver Wing as a gift," said Tristan. "Lugia and I share a special bond and play together whenever we see each other."

"That's a pretty cool story," said Luka.

"My Silver Wing not only lets me call Lugia and other legendary Pokémon Hillary and I befriended to our location," continued Tristan, "but it has many other magical abilities as well, like detecting the presence of other legendary Pokémon."

Luka was awestruck. "You're so lucky. I never knew a Silver Wing had powers like that. Yours must be especially rare if it has that many functions." And she opened up the locket hanging around her neck, and showed Tristan and Hillary her own Silver Wing.

"You have a Silver Wing too!" said Hillary.

"Tell us, Luka, how did you get it?" asked Tristan.

"My great-grandfather enjoyed studying Water Pokémon and deep-sea diving just like I do," began Luka.

"You're a deep-sea diver?" asked Hillary.

Luka nodded, then she continued her story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Enigma)_

"My great-grandfather took pleasure in searching for rare treasures and artifacts," explained Luka. "Then after 20 years of searching, he managed to acquire this Silver Wing and placed it in a large treasure chest. However, soon after, he was on another voyage on the I.S.S. Raspberry when a huge storm came up all of a sudden, and his ship sank to the bottom of the sea. He and his crew survived, but the Silver Wing was still in the chest, which went down with the ship. My great-grandfather was determined to get it back to prove his story, but his explorations all ended in failure.

"His legacy to explore has inspired my family for three generations. One day, I was doing some research on family heirlooms, and uncovered my great-grandfather's diary. It contained a map with an "X," which led me to the remains of his ship. With the help of Ash and his friends, we managed to locate it and recover the Silver Wing."

* * *

"And that's how I was able to clear my great-grandfather's name and obtain the Silver Wing you see before you," finished Luka.

"Wow, that's a pretty awesome story, Luka," said Hillary.

"Did your Silver Wing also come from a Lugia?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, it did," answered Luka. "During my time with Ash and his friends, we discovered a baby Lugia and its parent. Those may be the same Lugia you saw. My Silver Wing glows red whenever Lugia is in a rage. I remember that it gave rise to a very powerful and destructive storm after its baby was captured. The parent was eventually captured along with its child. But Ash and his friends worked together and saved them, and they've been living peacefully far away at sea ever since."

_That's good, _thought Tristan. _At least they're safe and out of harm's way. Lugia will be happy to know that._

"But as rare as my Silver Wing is, Tristan," continued Luka, "it seems to pale in comparison to the rarity and power that yours has."

For a long time, Tristan stared at the Silver Wing in his hands. He couldn't believe that it had so much power and so many abilities. Perhaps there were many other abilities he never even knew it had.

"Hey, look over there!" said Hillary.

Tristan and Luka turned and saw a school of light-blue fish-like Pokémon with saucer shaped eyes.

"What are those?" asked Tristan.

"They're Remoraid," answered Luka.

Tristan scanned the Remoraid with his Pokédex.

_"Remoraid, the Jet Pokémon. Often found in large groups, Remoraid can fire water and hit targets up to 100 meters away."_

"Those are pretty cool ones," said Tristan. "I remember Grandma talking about some Remoraid she saw at Lake Lucid many years ago."

Just then, a large Pokémon shaped like a manta-ray appeared from the surface. It had large fins and had two ring-shaped marks on its back.

"Whoa, that Pokémon's huge!" gasped Hillary. "What is that?"

"That's a Mantine," answered Luka.

Hillary scanned Mantine with her Pokédex.

_"Mantine, the Kite Pokémon. Mantine swims about the ocean majestically, and may fly out of the water if it builds up enough speed."_

"I wish I could have one of those," said Hillary.

"Well, try and catch it then," said Luka.

Little did Hillary know that the Remoraid were the Mantine's protectors, and it protected them in return.

"Here goes nothing...go, Poké Ball!" shouted Hillary as she threw her Poké Ball at the Mantine.

But the Remoraid shot the Poké Ball away with their Water Gun attacks before it got close, and it landed back in Hillary's hands.

"What happened?" asked Hillary. "My Poké Ball didn't work. Something must be wrong."

"The Remoraid do their best to protect the Mantine from intruders," answered Luka. "And in turn, the Mantine protects the Remoraid and their family."

"Gee, you could've told me that sooner," grumbled Hillary.

"You see," explained Luka, "I was on an underwater exploration to recover the Silver Wing with Ash and his friends, and discovered why the Mantine wouldn't let us get anywhere close to his ship. Luckily, they managed to help us in the end, and we got the chest without any further incident."

"So that's why Hillary's Poké Ball didn't work on Mantine," said Tristan.

"Oh well," agreed Hillary. "Better luck next time, I guess."

"Hey, Luka, you mentioned that you were a deep-sea diver, right?" said Tristan. "Could we go on an underwater exploration with you?"

"Yes, Luka, could we?" asked Hillary. "I always wanted to see what it's like underwater."

"I don't see why not," replied Luka. "As a matter of fact, I have several spare scuba diving suits for you to try. But we'll need someone to stay on the boat to help keep an eye on things."

* * *

A short time later, Hillary got into her scuba gear. It was pink and purple.

"Hey, not bad, sis," said Tristan. "That gear looks perfect on you."

"Well, pink is my favorite color," replied Hillary. "Now watch as Hillary the soon-to-be-famous Pokémon Trainer transforms into the most beautiful mermaid out in the Johto seas!"

Tristan had to let out a chuckle for that one.

"Okay, Magikarp, go!" said Luka as she threw her three Poké Balls.

All three Magikarp emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Tristan, Pikachu, be sure to keep an eye on Togepi, okay?" said Hillary.

"Of course," replied Tristan. "And we'll use the radio to keep in touch with you while you're underwater."

"Ready, Hillary?" asked Luka.

"You bet," answered Hillary.

And they put on their mouthpieces and dove into the ocean.

_(Music Cue: Messenger)_

Below the surface, there were scores of Water Pokémon, including Shellder, Horsea, and Tentacool. There was even a school of Chinchou swimming nearby.

"Look at all the different Water Pokémon!" said Hillary, who was completely awestruck.

"I always have a fun time seeing all the Water Pokémon," explained Luka. "It expands my horizon."

"You've certainly opened me up to the joys of the sea today, Luka," smiled Hillary.

Presently, Tristan's voice was heard through their gear. "Hey, guys, what's it like down there?"

"It's awesome!" replied Hillary. "You won't believe the number of Water Pokémon living down here!"

"How many are there?" asked Tristan.

"There may be hundreds, no, perhaps thousands!" replied Hillary. "Some of which may have been recently discovered!"

Tristan was surprised. "That's...awesome. I never knew that so many Water Pokémon could live in one big place."

* * *

Half an hour later, Hillary and Luka emerged from the surface and came back onto the boat.

"So, how was it?" asked Tristan.

"It was awesome," replied Hillary. "I know you're up next, but talking about it isn't as cool as seeing it firsthand."

"I want to see the bottom of the sea, too," said Tristan, who was getting more and more excited. But just then, his stomach growled. "Oh, but I am getting a little hungry."

"I guess we could all use a bite to eat," said Luka. "I think I have something that will suffice." And she took out some bags filled with cheeseburgers and French fries.

"All right!" said Hillary and Tristan together. They were obviously excited to have such great fast food.

"I managed to pack a few extras when I ordered my lunch on the go today," said Luka. "So please, take these as my gift."

"Thank you, Luka," said Tristan. "What do you say we dig in?"

"I'm in," agreed Hillary.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Theme (as heard in the Japanese version of "Emperoro of the Crystal Tower: Entei"))_

Little did they know that Taz was spying on them from a periscope as he drove a one-man submarine below the surface. "Rats, no treasure to find," he grumbled. "I wish there was something for me to steal today. Ah, but what's this?" He saw the giant Mantine swimming by with the school of Remoraid closely guarding it. "Well, now, I think I've seen the prize that I wanna go after today, so get ready, Mantine, you're my hors d'oeuvres of choice!" And he snickered evilly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Hillary, and Luka had just finished their lunch.

"Boy, that was great," said Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

"Now, Tristan, I believe it's your turn to dive down with me next," said Luka. "Why don't you try on this diving suit for size?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan was situated in the diving gear Luka provided for him.

Then Luka handed Pikachu its own diving gear, which was a perfect fit. Then she sent out her three Magikarp again.

Pikachu wondered how it looked in the diving gear.

Hillary smiled. "You're looking great, Pikachu."

Pikachu gave a happy reply.

"All right, guys, are you ready to take a dip?" asked Luka.

"We're ready, Luka," replied Tristan.

"I'll stay here and guard the boat," said Hillary.

And together, Tristan, Pikachu, and Luka all dove down below the surface.

Sure enough, Tristan could see scores of Water Pokémon swimming by, just like Hillary did earlier. "Hillary was right," he said as he watched in wonder. "These Pokémon do call the sea their home."

Pikachu seemed to be enjoying its time underwater with Tristan.

"Are you having a good time seeing all these Pokémon, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Just then, Mantine was heard giving off a loud cry.

"What was that?" asked Tristan as he and Pikachu looked on in alarm.

"Let's go check it out," suggested Luka.

And they swam to where the cry was coming from.

Sure enough, they saw a that a mechanical arm had grabbed Mantine. Then they saw the source of the problem: it was a submarine, and someone was driving it.

"It's Taz again!" exclaimed Tristan.

Taz turned around to see Tristan and Luka. "Well, if it isn't my little friends getting in my way as usual. But this time, you're too late. That Mantine's mine."

"Let it go!" demanded Tristan. "That Mantine doesn't belong to you!"

"Looks like it does now, kid," replied Taz smugly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something to sell on the black Poké Market."

_(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard the first time in "The Wayward Wobbuffet"))_

And he drove off in his submarine.

"We've gotta go after him," advised Luka.

"Right!" agreed Tristan as he and Pikachu followed.

* * *

Back on the boat, Hillary had just heard everything on the radio. "I'd better help out here," said Hillary as she took out her Poké Ball and threw it. "Go, Squirtle, I choose you!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Hillary's directions.

"Squirtle, dive underwater and help Tristan and Luka," instructed Hillary.

And Squirtle dove down and prepared to help the others.

* * *

Back below the surface, Tristan and Luka had given chase to Taz and his submersible vehicle.

"Get back here, Taz!" demanded Tristan. "Or you're gonna regret it!"

"We'll see about that, kid," replied Taz.

Just then, several Water Gun attacks blasted the arm that had captured Mantine, and set it free.

"Hey, what the...?" grumbled Taz.

But as he turned around, he saw multiple Remoraid had come to Mantine's rescue.

"All right, Remoraid!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Remoraid and Mantine coexist in symbiosis," explained Luka. "They help each other out. Remoraid protects Mantine and Mantine protects them and the younger members of their family."

"That's awesome," said Tristan. "It's like they're living together in cooperation and harmony."

"Well, the last thing anybody needs from youse is a biology lesson!" fumed Taz as he took out his Poké Ball and opened the bottom hatch of his submarine. "Go and get 'em, Magmar!"

The Poké Ball opened and Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of the submarine. But unfortunately, Magmar almost immediately gagged and started running out of air.

"Aaah!" cried Taz. "I forgot that Magmar can't swim! Magmar, return now!" And he immediately recalled Magmar back into his Poké Ball.

"Serves you right, Taz," scolded Tristan. "You should've known that Fire Pokémon like Magmar have trouble with the water."

Taz was ashamed. "I guess I'm having one of those off days." Then he got out of his depression and took out another Poké Ball.

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

"All right, I may have messed up last time, but this time I ain't holding back. This'll get me back in the game. Go, Poliwrath!"

His Poliwrath emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Now, go teach them laughing losers a lesson!" ordered Taz. "Hit 'em all with your Doubleslap!"

Poliwrath started swimming for Mantine and the Remoraid and proceeded to attack. But just then, another Water Gun attack blasted Poliwrath away and into the submarine.

Tristan and Luka turned around to see that Hillary's Squirtle had arrived to help.

"Perfect timing, Squirtle," commended Tristan.

"Hillary must've been paying attention," remarked Luka. "She's certainly a very good listener."

"Well, I don't care how good of a listener she is, for I'm getting that Mantine if it's the last thing I do!" shouted Taz. "Poliwrath, go!"

Poliwrath charged in for the attack again, but before it could, Squirtle and the Remoraid quickly blasted it with their Water Gun attacks into Taz's submarine, causing it to explode.

The explosion was so powerful that it sent Taz and Poliwrath flying.

Hillary was surprised when she saw them emerging from the water with a tremendous splash and going sky-high.

"NOT FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIR!" screamed Taz as he and Poliwrath disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"That was so cool!" said Tristan. "Thanks for your help, everyone."

Squirtle, Remoraid, and Mantine nodded and gave happy replies.

"Yup," smiled Luka. "By the time Taz lands, he's gonna be all wet."

Everyone laughed at Luka's joke.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

That evening as the sun set, Tristan, Hillary, and Luka were reminiscing about their underwater adventure.

"You should've seen how Taz was blasted sky-high," said Hillary. "He was screaming 'No fair!'"

"We did see it, sis," replied Tristan. "The Remoraid and your Squirtle helped us out and blasted him with their Water Gun attacks."

"You did the right thing by helping out the way you did," said Luka.

"Well, it was Squirtle that did all the work," replied Hillary. "I was only listening to every word on the radio."

"Well, you've proven yourself to be a great listener," smiled Tristan. "If you listen to your Pokémon and your heart, then nothing'll stop you from reaching your goal."

"I'll do my best to remember that," smiled Hillary.

"So, I hear you guys are attending Whirl Camp on Silver Rock Isle in the next few days," said Luka.

"That's right," replied Tristan.

"I have a feeling you'll have a great time there," smiled Luka. "There'll be plenty of surprises in store, and I know we'll see each other again real soon."

"How do you know that, Luka?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, you'll see," promised Luka.

Presently, they saw a big island up ahead.

"Is that it?" asked Tristan. "Is that Red Rock Isle?"

"Yup, the one and only," answered Luka.

Sure enough, it was Red Rock Isle, and it looked beautiful in the distance.

"What do you say we check it out as soon as we dock there?" suggested Tristan.

"I'm in," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi also agreed.

* * *

_Thanks to their new friend Luka, our heroes have made it to Red Rock Isle. What will they see there? The answers are coming your way as their journey through the Whirl Islands continues!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	65. EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 65 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they trek through the Whirl Islands. I decided to have Marcellus, the Remoraid/Octillery Trainer, as well as Maya the Sea Priestess from the anime make appearances in this chapter. Team Rocket may have attempted and failed to steal the Sea Spirit, but I decided to have Taz come and steal it; of course you know that he won't hang on to it for long. How will Tristan and Hillary help? Read and find out. But as always, please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: A Trainer named Marcellus asks for Tristan and Hillary's help to recover a beautiful and seemingly magical treasure called the Sea Spirit Sapphire that belongs to a Sea Priestess.**

**Chapter 65: EXPLORING THE WHIRL ISLANDS, PART 5**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in the English dubbed version of "Dueling Heroes"))_

_Today, our heroes are exploring Scarlet City on Red Rock Isle, the third of the Whirl Islands. Pretty soon, they'll receive a formal invitation to attend Professor Elm's summer program, Whirl Camp, on Silver Rock Isle._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all looked at a flooded and empty stadium from a high cliff the next morning.

"This must be the place where the Whirl Cup is held once every three years," said Hillary.

"It's too bad we got here too late to participate in it, though," sighed Tristan sadly.

Pikachu nodded sadly in agreement.

"Oh, that's okay," replied Hillary. "We had our own Water Pokémon tournament, remember? It was on our journey to Ecruteak City."

Tristan had such fond memories of that tournament that he forgot all about feeling sad. He remembered the time when he and his Totodile went up against Hillary and her Squirtle.

They had given each other everything they had, and had no regrets.

"I enjoyed that battle against you, Tristan," said Hillary. "It was a battle I'll never forget."

"Likewise," agreed Tristan. "I think it was one of our best battles ever. Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu cheered up and nodded in agreement.

Togepi also agreed.

Suddenly, a boy in an orange t-shirt and green shorts was seen running toward Tristan and Hillary. "Help me! Please! We have an emergency!" Unfortunately, he was running so fast that he didn't see the edge of the cliff.

"Hey, watch out!" cried Hillary.

_(Music Cue: Lugia Appears! (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))_

But it was too late, for the boy lost his footing and was falling fast toward the water below.

Tristan was quick to react. He took out his Friend Ball and threw it. "Bayleef, grab him with Vine Whip!"

Bayleef emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Then it launched two vines from its leaf necklace and wrapped them around the boy, stopping him from falling.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu grabbed on to the vines, and pulled the boy safely back on the cliff.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was a close one," said Hillary. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," replied the boy. "Thank you."

Tristan gently stroked his Bayleef. "Excellent job, Bayleef," he commended. "You saved the boy."

Bayleef nodded and gave a happy reply.

"My name's Marcellus," said the boy. "It's so nice to meet you."

"I'm Hillary," said Hillary.

"And my name's Tristan," added Tristan. "And this is Pikachu and Togepi. And you've met Bayleef."

Pikachu, Togepi, and Bayleef all greeted Marcellus warmly.

"Tell us, why were you calling out for help?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, that," said the boy. "You see...the Sea Priestess somehow lost her Sea Spirit, and doesn't know where it went."

"I'm afraid we don't follow," replied Tristan. "Could you tell us more about it?"

"I don't know exactly everything about it," said Marcellus. "But from what I've heard, it allows the user to communicate with all the Water Pokémon of the world, and open the Whirl Cup competition."

Tristan and Hillary were awestruck.

"That's awesome," remarked Hillary. "I never knew that something like that existed."

"Do you know how the Sea Priestess lost it?" asked Tristan.

"That's why I came to you guys for help," answered Marcellus. "I'll lead you to her."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the center of town, a woman wearing royal attire was speaking with Officer Jenny.

"Don't worry, Maya," said Officer Jenny. "We'll have every available unit helping you until you get your Sea Spirit back."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," replied Maya.

Presently, Marcellus, Tristan, and Hillary arrived on the scene.

"Hey, guys, I brought help!" said Marcellus.

"Oh, good, thank you, Marcellus," replied Maya.

Officer Jenny was surprised. "You know that boy? And who are those kids?"

"We're Pokémon Trainers," answered Tristan. "I'm Tristan and this is Hillary."

Pikachu and Togepi greeted the women warmly.

"Sorry, but I didn't ask for your help," said Officer Jenny. "So you'll just have to move along now."

"Oh, it's all right, Officer Jenny," Maya assured her. "At this point, any help is welcome."

Officer Jenny sighed and reluctantly consented.

"We heard that your Sea Spirit was stolen," said Hillary. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it is," answered Maya. "Yesterday, I met this strange man, who said he would pay me top dollar for my Sea Spirit Sapphire."

"A strange man," said Tristan. "Do you know what this strange man looked like?"

"I know that he had a mustache and a beard," explained Maya. "But I also know that he looked like a smartly dressed collector of sorts."

"Do you know what the Sea Spirit does?" asked Hillary.

"Yes, I do," answered Maya. "With it, I have the ability to communicate with every Water Pokémon on the planet. Furthermore, I can invoke the Sea Spirit Union by raising it in the air and open and close the Whirl Cup competition."

"That's pretty cool," said Tristan.

"How did you respond to this man?" asked Hillary.

"I politely refused, but he wouldn't take no for an answer," replied Maya. "When he finally got the message, he left, but not before saying that someone would steal the Sea Spirit from its home. I slept that night unconcerned as usual. But when I woke up this morning, it just seemed to have disappeared without a trace."

"Officer Jenny, do you know of any security video that we can watch to see what happened?" asked Tristan.

Marcellus was confused. "What's up? Do you think you're on to something, Tristan?"

"I had the police force install security cameras all over Maya's house last night before she went to bed," answered Officer Jenny. "They should've recorded what happened to the Sea Spirit."

"Maybe one of them has the footage," suggested Tristan. "If we can watch that very moment that the Sea Spirit Sapphire disappeared, we can get to the bottom of this mystery."

"Good idea," agreed Officer Jenny. "Let's get down to the station and see if we have the video."

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

At that very moment, a familiar bearded man was watching everything from a high tree. Yes, it was Taz, who was dressed in black, and he chuckled evilly. "I'll be sure to make top dollar today. They'll never know it was me who stole this thing of beauty." And he took what appeared to be a staff out of his big bag.

Sure enough, the Sea Spirit Sapphire was attached to that staff.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Imminent Danger)_

Meanwhile, at the police station, everyone stood watching the video of Maya's residence during the night of the Sea Spirit's disappearance. Presently, they saw a man in black was seen quickly jumping from a tree like a ninja onto the roof of the house.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Marcellus.

"Did you see something, Marcellus?" asked Hillary.

"I thought I saw something jump from that tree onto the roof," replied Marcellus.

"Let's rewind and play it back again in slow motion," said Officer Jenny. And she did just that. And when she saw that precise moment that the person jumped from the tree onto the roof, she slowed the video down and stopped it so that everyone could get a better look.

"Looks like there's someone trying to sneak into Maya's house," said Tristan.

"Let's check the other cameras," suggested Officer Jenny. She clicked a few buttons and changed to another camera.

Sure enough, they saw a different angle of the roof where the mysterious person was. He used a tool to pick the lock on the roof and went in.

Maya gasped in shock.

"Looks like we have a burglary," said Officer Jenny.

Seconds later, they saw that same person emerge from the inside and sneak onto the roof with a staff of some kind in his hand, and close the hatch.

Everyone gasped in shock, especially Maya, who knew what that stolen object was.

"And now, it's a theft," said Officer Jenny.

"That's my Sea Spirit Sapphire!" gasped Maya.

"So that person stole the Sea Spirit," said Hillary.

"Just like in the threat," added Tristan.

"Growlithe, I choose you!" shouted Officer Jenny as she threw her Poké Ball.

Her Growlithe emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Maya, I'll need to have Growlithe get a sniff of you so that it can pick up the scent of the Sea Spirit," said Officer Jenny.

Maya nodded and consented.

"Growlithe, I need you to sniff Maya so you can track the Sea Spirit," instructed Officer Jenny.

Growlithe nodded and sniffed Maya very carefully. Then is used its nose and sniffed the air in an attempt to track the stolen Sea Spirit. A moment later, it barked and started running off.

_(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

"Growlithe must've picked up the scent," said Marcellus.

"Come on, everyone, let's follow it!" advised Officer Jenny.

And they all quickly followed.

* * *

They ran until the came to the center of town.

"That was where we were before!" said Tristan.

"There must be some reason why Growlithe led us here," added Hillary.

Presently, Growlithe growled as it faced a high tree.

"I think we know why," said Officer Jenny. "The thief must be nearby."

"And he's probably in that tree," added Maya.

"How are we gonna find out if the thief is up there?" asked Marcellus.

"There's only one way to find out," replied Tristan as he took out his Friend Ball and threw it.

His Bayleef emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Bayleef, use your Tackle attack on that tree!" instructed Tristan.

Bayleef charged toward the tree full-body style and rammed into it.

A voice was heard screaming as he lost his balance and fell to the ground hard with the Sea Spirit in hand. He was dressed in black and had a mustache and a beard. All of a sudden, his mustache fell off his face. "Lousy Pokémon," he groaned.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock; they knew who it was.

"It's Taz!" exclaimed Tristan.

"We should've know it was you!" added Hillary.

Officer Jenny took out a pair of handcuffs. "I'm placing you under arrest for breaking into Maya's residence and stealing her Sea Spirit," declared Officer Jenny.

"You can't take me in that easily, Officer," replied Taz. "In fact, I've very good at making quick getaways! With this, I'll be sure to be a millionaire!"

"Not if I can help it," said Marcellus as he threw his Poké Ball. "Go, Octillery!"

A red octopus-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"What's that?" asked Hillary as she looked up the Pokémon in her Pokédex.

_"Octillery, the Jet Pokémon. Octillery will instinctively sneak into rocky holes. It locks onto its opponents with its leg suckers, then rams them with its rock-hard head."_

"Okay, Octillery, don't let him get away!" commanded Marcellus.

Octillery charged toward Taz.

"Go, Magmar, stop those losers!" shouted Taz as he took out his Poké Ball and threw it.

_(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveilled)_

His Magmar emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited his orders.

"Magmar, use your Smokescreen!" ordered Taz.

Magmar shot a thick, gray cloud of smoke from its mouth, enveloping everyone in it and causing them all to hack and choke.

When the smoke cleared, they saw that Taz had disappeared.

"He got away," said Officer Jenny.

"My Octillery's gone, too!" gasped Marcellus.

Everyone gasped in shock, for they knew that Octillery wouldn't just disappear without a trace.

Maya sank to her knees. "Why did I have to be the victim? If only I had an alarm or something. Then my Sea Spirit wouldn't have gotten stolen." A single tear fell from her eye.

"Don't worry, Maya, we won't give up until that Sea Spirit's back where it belongs," Tristan assured her.

"You have our word," added Hillary.

"Thanks a lot, guys," replied Maya.

"Hey, look at that!" gasped Marcellus.

Sure enough, there was a blue spot of ink where Taz and Magmar were, and a short distance away from it was another spot of ink, and another, and still another."

"Octillery must've left a trail for us," said Tristan.

"If we follow it, it'll lead us straight to Taz and Octillery," suggested Hillary.

"Let's hurry," advised Officer Jenny.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Chaos (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

Meanwhile, Taz was having a hard time parting with Octillery, for it had attached itself to his face, and he was trying very hard to pull it off. "Get off me, you eight-armed freak!" Taz pulled harder and harder until at last, Octillery was pulled off his face.

Unfortunately for Taz, Octilliery got mad and charged straight for him, ramming him hard as it went.

Taz screamed as he got hit, then he fell flat on his back. "That's one hard-headed Pokémon," he grumbled as he struggled to his feet.

But Octillery wouldn't have any of it, for it rammed him again and again without letting up.

"Hey, you freak of nature, what do you want from me?" asked Taz as he got hit over and over. Then he thought, _Of course! That thing must want that staff! _"Well, not anymore, punk!" he shouted as he threw his Poké Ball. "Electabuzz, go!"

Electabuzz emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"All right, Electabuzz, give it a taste of your Thunder attack!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz gathered up the electricity in its body, then it shot a powerful bolt of it at Octillery, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Ha! That'll teach ya!" laughed Taz triumphantly.

Octillery fell to the ground, seemingly defeated.

But presently, Tristan and the others arrived on the scene.

Taz grumbled when he saw them approach.

"We found you, Taz!" said Tristan.

"Give back that Sea Spirit!" demanded Hillary.

"That Sea Spirit is no use to you!" added Maya.

"It means the world to me," retorted Taz. "And you wanna know why? Because this thing of beauty is about to make me some serious money and make me filthy rich!"

_(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Type Casting"))_

Presently, Marcellus saw his injured Octillery and ran to it. "Are you okay, Octillery?"

Octillery struggled back up, but just barely, for it was still suffering from the damage it took from Electabuzz's Thunder attack.

Marcellus, upset, turned to Taz. "What have you done to my Octillery?!"

"It was in my way, what can I say?" replied Taz, who pretended to be innocent.

Fortunately, Marcellus had a bottle of Super Potion handy and sprayed it on Octillery.

Sure enough, Octillery's wounds were slowly fading away, and it was ready for battle once again.

"Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it," said Tristan. "Go get him, Pikachu!"

Pikachu charged into battle and ran straight toward Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch, go!" commanded Taz.

Electabuzz charged forward as electricity crackled in its fist.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu quickly sped toward Electabuzz, dodging its attack as it went. Then it rammed hard into Electabuzz, sending it flying into Taz, causing him to lose the Sea Spirit Sapphire.

Tristan saw the flying Sea Spirit Sapphire and ran to catch it. Judging the distance, he ran under it, and caught it safely in his hands. "I got it!" he said.

"Great, nice catch!" said Hillary excitedly.

Then, Tristan returned the staff to Maya. "Here you go."

"Thanks so much, Tristan," replied Maya.

Taz seethed in anger. "If you think you can steal back what I stole, then you'd better think again! Electabuzz, get them!"

Electabuzz charged forward again.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu shot a bolt of electricity at Taz and Electabuzz and scored a direct hit on them.

"Let's send them packing, Octillery!" commanded Marcellus. "Use your Octazooka!"

Octillery concentrated its energy and shot a powerful blue orb of water from its round mouth at Taz and Electabuzz, scoring a direct hit on them and sending them flying.

_"_WE WON'T FORGET THIS!" screamed Taz as he and Electabuzz disappeared into the sky.

_DING!_

"I'm grateful to all of you for getting my Sea Spirit back from that nasty Taz," said Maya. Then she turned to Officer Jenny. "And I knew we had the right guys for the job."

"Well, I guess you're right," replied Officer Jenny. "Although I'm sad that there was no arrest."

"We were just glad that we could help," said Marcellus.

"He's right," agreed Hillary.

"That's what friends do," put in Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

"Hey, would you all like to come to my house for dinner tonight?" asked Marcellus. "I make some great easy recipes."

"We'd like that very much," replied Maya.

"And I can help with the food preparations," added Tristan.

"I'm in, too," put in Hillary.

"Well, since the emergency's over, I suppose I could take it easy for one night," said Officer Jenny.

And so it was decided.

* * *

That evening, Marcellus prepared dinner with Tristan's assistance.

"Okay, everybody, dig in!" said Marcellus excitedly.

Everyone happily ate their meals.

"Boy, this is good," said Tristan. "I know people say that my cooking is awesome, but yours, Marcellus, is great, too."

"Of course it's great, since you helped make it," smiled Hillary.

Everyone agreed that the food was good.

"I must admit, I'm quite impressed with that Octillery of yours, Marcellus," said Officer Jenny. "That Octazooka was really powerful."

"I collect Remoraid from almost everywhere," explained Marcellus. "I have aquariums of Remoraid and Octillery almost everywhere in the house."

Sure enough, there were tanks with Remoraid and Octillery happily swimming in them.

"They seem to be perfectly happy and healthy," smiled Tristan. "You've certainly taken very good care of them."

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Marcellus. "That's nice of you to say that."

"And I'll be sure to take even better care of the Sea Spirit Sapphire," added Maya.

"That's the spirit, Maya," chuckled Officer Jenny. "With an attitude like that, you'll never have to worry about another criminal stealing it again."

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

* * *

Later, as the sun went down, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi had said goodbye to their friends and headed toward the Pokémon Center to rest up for the night.

"Another great day of adventures has come and gone," said Hillary.

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "I really enjoyed learning about Octillery. And its Octazooka was really powerful. Marcellus should be very proud to have such a strong Pokémon. Of course, I can't stop thinking about Maya and her Sea Spirit. The fact that she's able to communicate with Water Pokémon and invoke the Sea Spirit Union is just astounding."

"Well, it's a good thing that Maya did get her Sea Spirit back," said Hillary. "Otherwise, she would've had to find another way to communicate with them."

"Besides using their hearts you mean?"

"Well, something like that."

Presently, they arrived at the Pokémon Center.

"What do you know? Here we are!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Let's go inside the Pokémon Center and rest up," suggested Tristan.

And so they went in.

Nurse Joy saw them enter. She had been waiting for them. "I have something for you from Professor Elm." And she handed each of them an envelope

"For us?" said Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary opened up the envelopes, which contained an invitation with "yes" and "no" boxes on them.

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"Those must be the invitations to Whirl Camp coming up in a couple of days," said Tristan.

"That's right," agreed Hillary. "And Professor Elm wants us to respond as quickly as possible."

"Well, he can count me in for sure," said Tristan excitedly.

"Me, too," agreed Hillary.

And together, they both checked the "yes" box.

"Oh, and Hillary," said Nurse Joy, "I'm pleased to report that your Lapras made a one-hundred percent recovery, so you can ride on it again."

Tristan and Hillary were happy to hear that.

"That's great news, isn't it, Hillary?" said Tristan.

"It sure is," replied Hillary. "And we'll ride it to Silver Rock Isle first thing tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning after getting a good night's rest, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi all departed from Red Rock Isle on Hillary's Lapras.

"I can't wait until Whirl Camp starts," said Tristan excitedly.

"It's gonna be a blast," agreed Hillary. "We'll meet new friends and see all kinds of Pokémon."

"And Professor Elm and Professor Oak are gonna be there, too," put in Tristan. "I can't wait to see them again."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

* * *

_And so, our heroes are finally on their way to Silver Rock Isle, site of the upcoming Whirl Camp. Will it be as great of an experience as they think it will be? Stay tuned and find out!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	66. PREPARING FOR WHIRL CAMP

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 66 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Whirl Islands. I think this will be one of the best chapters yet. Let me explain why. You may recall Louis, the Trumpeter Swan in the book _Trumpet of the Swan _by E.B. White. Well, I decided to base part of this chapter on the chapter where Louis falls in love with Serena, but got rejected because he had no voice. You may recall that the Lugia in this story has a masculine voice, and its character is one who is learning about the world around it, like Caroll Spinney's portrayal of Big Bird from _Sesame Street_. I also decided to have a shiny Lugia in this chapter. You know, the one with mostly pink fins and what not. This one will have feminine features, and will have long eyelashes. And I'll name her Silveena after the word silver. You may recall that I named Goldie after the word gold. I also decided to occasionally add a few music cues by Manny Corallo (you may recall you've heard them in the 4Kids dub of Pokémon from seasons one through eight, but this cue was heard starting in season 5). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them responsibly, of course. And as always, please feel free to read and leave responsible reviews at your leisure.**

**TEASER: After getting rejected by a female Lugia named Silveena, Tristan and Hillary invite Lugia to be a lifeguard at Whirl Camp. But when Tristan goes into a burning building to save a little boy in trouble, it could just very well be the last thing he does...until a mysterious call is heard.**

**Chapter 66: PREPARING FOR WHIRL CAMP**

_(Music Cue: The Shadow That Follows Team Rocket)_

The next morning, near Silver Rock Isle, Lugia was flying in the sky over the sea as it practiced its aerial maneuvers. Lugia, now known as a strong flier, was getting better and faster with each flight, and could hardly wait to see Tristan to show him its progress.

But then, something caught its attention in the water.

It was a Pokémon that was pale silver-white, but it had pink fins on its back and two more on its tail, and it had a pink underside. It had extra long eyelashes, indicating that it had feminine features. It was a Lugia, all right, but it was of a different color. It was shorter in size than Lugia was.

Lugia was instantly spellbound, and thought that it was the most beautiful thing it ever saw. So it dove down and landed in the water with a tremendous splash.

The other Lugia was drenched with water as Lugia splashed down, and was not amused.

Lugia popped its head out of the water. _Sorry about that. Hi, I'm a Lugia, like you, and I think that you're the most beautiful thing in the world._

_Hmph! _grumbled the pink Lugia in a feminine voice. _So who taught _you _how to fly, huh?_

_I learned how to fly all by myself, _answered Lugia. _By the way, what's your name?_

_If you must know, my name's Silveena_, she answered. _You may have learned how to fly all by yourself, but you'll never impress me._

_Oh yeah? Okay, Selena, just watch what I can do, _said Lugia as it excitedly flew into the air and showed off its incredible speed. It did several aerial maneuvers, including multiple zigzags. Then it quickly dove underwater and showed how fast it could swim. When it came up to the surface, it saw that Silveena had her back turned. She pretended that Lugia didn't exist.

_That's all?_ asked Silveena impatiently.

_That's not all, _answered Lugia. _I also know a human named Tristan._

Of course, when Silveena heard the word 'human,' she was furious. _A what?! YOU KNOW A WHAT?!_

Lugia was taken aback by Silveena's outburst. _But...he's my friend._

_Humans and Pokémon are not meant to become friends! _snapped Silveena.

_What? That's not true! _protested Lugia. _Tristan was the one who saved my life after I was forced to leave my family and..._

But the rest of Lugia's speech was interrupted when Silveena dealt a hard slap to its face with her wing.

_(Music Cue: Very Sad Moments)_

Lugia felt like crying after the hard slap. It had never been treated so harshly by a Pokémon of its own kind. It felt even worse than on the day its own parent yelled at it for failing to watch its sibling.

_You are so pathetic, _said Silveena scornfully. _How can you even think about having a mate when you have a human for a friend? All humans are bad, and they only want us to serve. I was there watching from the distance when a Lugia and its baby were kidnapped by evil people not too long ago._

_You were? _Lugia was shocked. It didn't know which was worse, the fact that Silveena had watched an ordeal it didn't know about or the fact that she was trying to twist the truth.

_And what's worse, other humans were trying to attack it! _added Silveena. _Further proof of what I'm telling you: humans are the masters, we are the servants!_

_Please, Silveena, that's just not true at all! _insisted Lugia. _I'm no servant, and Tristan's no master! We're just friends, that's all! It's not like he wants to keep me all to himself! Besides, he doesn't do any of that stuff. When we flew together, he had a fun time sitting on my back and enjoying the ride. And if you'd met him like I did, you'd agree with me! Please just give him a chance!_

_Well, you may have gotten a human to fly with you, but no human is ever gonna ride on me!_ retorted Silveena. _I'd throw them off in a heartbeat! That goes for your human friend, too!_

_But they'd get hurt! _protested Lugia, who by this time was getting more and more upset. _Don't you care what happens to them if you force them off?_

_No, I don't! _replied Silveena angrily. _And if they get hurt, then there are less humans to worry about. Humans are our enemies. Therefore, your human friend is my enemy, too. They should all be eliminated! But if you won't forget about him, you can forget about me. Goodbye and good riddance! _And before Lugia could stop her, Silveena flapped her wings, took off into the air, and flew away, leaving Lugia alone.

Lugia was brokenhearted at Silveena's hurtful words as more and more tears began to fall from its eyes. It let out a loud, sad cry toward the sky as Silveena disappeared into the distance.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo's Counterattack"))_

_Our heroes are still continuing their journey to the Johto League, but after receiving an invitation from Professor Elm to attend Pokémon Whirl Camp on Silver Rock Isle, it's natural that they'd accept._

"I wonder what kinds of Pokémon we'll be seeing at Whirl Camp," said Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi rode on the back of Hillary's Lapras.

"Who knows?" replied Hillary. "We could meet many different Water-types. We've seen a lot of those already on our tour of the Whirl Islands. Of course, we could see some Grass-types or Fire-types, maybe even Electric-types."

Tristan let out a chuckle. "I suppose that's true, right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"I'll just be happy with whatever Pokémon we meet," added Tristan.

"Now that's keeping an open mind," remarked Hillary.

Togepi chirped in agreement.

Suddenly, they heard a loud, sad cry in the distance.

"Whoa, did you hear that?" asked Tristan.

"I did, but what is it? " answered Hillary.

"It sounds like...crying."

"Crying?"

_(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

Then the same sad cry was heard.

"There it is again!" said Tristan. "Do you think that someone's in some sort of distress?"

"I don't know, Tristan, but we'd better find out and fast," replied Hillary. "Come on, Lapras, let's hurry!"

And Lapras increased its speed as they sailed toward the source of that sound.

Presently, they saw a silhouette in the distance. It had a long, slender neck, and the sound got louder as they got closer.

Tristan took out his binoculars and saw the silhouette. He gasped in shock at what he saw.

"What's up, Tristan? What do you see?" asked Hillary.

"It's Lugia!" answered Tristan.

Sure enough, it was Lugia, and it was still crying.

Tristan and the others quickly swam over.

"Lugia!" called Tristan.

Lugia turned around and saw Tristan and Hillary approaching on Lapras' back. _Hi, guys._

"What happened, Lugia?" asked Tristan. "Why do you look so sad?"

"Yeah, what's the matter?" added Hillary.

_Well..._ And Lugia told its story.

* * *

_A little while ago, I was practicing my aerial abilities as I usually do when I saw another Lugia in the water. But this Lugia had different colored fins, and it had eyelashes. The fins were pink._

"Wow, a girl Lugia?" gasped Tristan.

"I've never even heard of that," agreed Hillary.

_I fell in love with her at first sight, _continued Lugia. _But she told me that she didn't want to have anything to do with me._

* * *

Tears began to fall from Lugia's eyes again. _I showed her what I could do, but she gave me a slap in the face! She said that humans are my enemies, including you!_

"WHAT?!" Tristan and Hillary could scarcely believe their ears.

Pikachu and Togepi were just as shocked as their Trainers were.

_She claims that she saw my mother and sibling get kidnapped by evil people not too long ago, _continued Lugia.

"Could that have been...?" asked Hillary.

"Team Rocket," agreed Tristan disdainfully.

_She told me that it was proof that we were made to serve humans!_

"You're kidding!" exclaimed Hillary. "That's just so-so-so-so-so..."

"Wrong!" put in Tristan.

Both he and Hillary were most offended when they heard that statement; however, they weren't angry with Lugia.

_I tried to tell her otherwise, but I couldn't! _cried Lugia. _And now she's flown away!_

_(Music Cue: Very Sad Moments)_

And Lugia wrapped its wings around Tristan and began to sob.

Tristan gently put his hand on Lugia's forehead.

However, Hillary was still furious. "The nerve of that Pokémon!" she exclaimed. "How dare she say that all humans are bad!"

"I'm really sorry, Lugia," Tristan said sadly. "We all are. That's the saddest story I've ever heard. You didn't need another tragic event like that in your life."

"Well, this proves one thing," said Hillary.

"What's that, sis?"

"Sometimes, beauty is only skin-deep."

Lugia continued to sob as Tristan gently comforted it.

_Poor Lugia,_ thought Tristan. _It wanted to show this female Lugia its love at first sight. And how did she return the favor? With a slap in the face. Talk about heartbreak._

Pikachu, Togepi, and Lapras all watched sadly.

"Someday, we'll show her that there are humans worth trusting!" said Hillary. "Right, Tristan?"

"Right, Hillary," agreed Tristan. "Hey, Lugia, do you happen to know the name of this female Lugia that you fell in love with?"

Lugia stopped crying long enough to give a response. _Her name...is Silveena._

"Hmm...Silveena," said Tristan. "A beautiful name for a beautiful Pokémon."

"Except when Silveena doesn't act nicely," added Hillary.

Tristan continued to comfort Lugia as it cried its heart out. He didn't know how to heal a broken heart, but he was very compassionate when Lugia needed him. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Hey, Lugia, would you like to come to Whirl Camp with us?"

Both Hillary and Lugia were taken by surprise at Tristan's offer.

Lugia stopped crying when it heard Tristan ask him. _You mean that?_

"Are you sure, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Absolutely," answered Tristan. "We'll have a blast, meet new friends, and see Professor Elm. Plus, we'll get a chance to play and fly in the sky together. What do you say?"

Lugia thought about it. Then it said, _Okay._

"Terrific!" said Tristan.

Presently, Tristan's PokéGear rang.

Tristan opened his backpack, took it out, and pushed the button on it. "Hello, Tristan here."

_(Music Cue: Route 29 (as heard at the beginning of "Throwing in the Noctowl"))_

"Hi, Tristan, it's Professor Elm."

"Oh, hi, Professor Elm, what's up?" asked Tristan.

"I was just wondering if you and Hillary had accepted the invitation to Whirl Camp that I sent you," explained Professor Elm.

"We did, and we're on our way right now."

"That's wonderful," said Professor Elm. "I'm looking forward to seeing you both on Silver Rock Isle very soon."

"Oh, Professor Elm?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if we brought a special guest along with us to Whirl Camp?"

"I don't see why not," answered Professor Elm. "As a matter of fact, I could use your help. I've been trying to find someone that knows how to swim in case any of our Trainers get in trouble in the water. But I haven't been able to find a designated lifeguard for the job."

"What are the requirements for being a lifeguard?" asked Tristan.

"Any human or Pokémon that knows how to swim is encouraged to come and be our designated lifeguard."

"Don't worry, Professor Elm, I've got that covered," smiled Tristan. "Or should I say my guest has that covered."

"Great," said Professor Elm. "See you soon."

Tristan saw the screen on his PokéGear turn off, and he put it back in his backpack. Then he turned to Lugia. "Hey, Lugia, how would you like to try being a lifeguard?"

_What's a lifeguard? _asked Lugia.

"You know, I've seen some on Cianwood Beach where they watch and rescue people that have difficulty swimming in the water," said Hillary. "And they help save lives in the process."

_Is that what a lifeguard does?_

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Well, wanna do it, Lugia? It could be your chance to prove Silveena wrong."

Lugia gave the matter a lot of thought. At last, it said, _Okay, you've convinced me. I'll come and try...as long as there aren't any bad people around._

"Don't worry, Lugia," Tristan assured it. "You'll be safe. Besides, I could tell that you're an excellent swimmer from the moment you hatched, not to mention one of the best fliers out there."

_Thanks, Tristan, that's nice of you to say that, and it might take my mind off of things for a while. I just hope it's the right thing for me to do._

"I think a good flight may be just what you need," said Hillary.

"Hillary's right, Lugia," agreed Tristan. "It should help clear the air."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 38 (as heard in "Charizard's Burning Ambitions"))_

Thus at once, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi got on Lugia, and they all took off into the air towards their destination on Silver Rock Isle. The wind blew across their faces as they flew.

Lapras had already been returned to its Poké Ball.

"The ocean sure looks beautiful from up here," remarked Tristan.

"Blue sky and blue sea as far as the eye can see," added Hillary.

"And Whirl Camp is gonna be on Silver Rock Isle," smiled Tristan. "That's near the place where you hatched, isn't it, Lugia?"

_Yes, it is, _answered Lugia. _It will be nice for me to do something close to the place of my original birth for a change._

"Hey, look, there it is!" said Hillary as she pointed to an island filled with silver rock stone.

"Silver Rock Isle," said Tristan to himself. "That's where we're gonna meet new friends and have fun." He imagined what it would be like as he and his friends flew closer to the island.

* * *

Professor Elm was waiting anxiously for Tristan and Hillary when suddenly, he saw a large Pokémon descending from the sky.

"Am I seeing things?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes. Then he saw Tristan and Hillary riding on Lugia's back, much to his delight.

"Hey, Professor Elm!" called Tristan as he and Hillary waved.

"It's us!" added Hillary.

"Ah, there you are!" Professor Elm waved back as Lugia prepared to land.

* * *

"I see, so this is the special guest you've been talking about," said Professor Elm as Tristan and Hillary met him.

"Lugia and I have known each other for a while now," explained Tristan. "We've become really good buddies."

"It's been learning about the world and its place in it," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

"I've heard of a Lugia in legends and folklore," said Professor Elm. "I remember Captain Marius talking about how a Lugia saved a group of people from a raging storm, and how that very storm just disappeared."

"That's the same legend that Grandma told me about," said Tristan.

"And Professor Oak also told us that Lugia is able to not only calm, but give rise to storms," added Hillary.

"That's very interesting," said Professor Elm.

"I was hoping that Lugia would spend a few days learning from all the Trainers attending Whirl Camp with us," said Tristan. "You see..." And he whispered Lugia's heartbreaking situation in Professor Elm's ear.

_(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

"Oh, that's awful!" said Professor Elm. "I'm very sorry to hear that. Actually, spending time camping with you will help take its mind off of that for a while. I'm sure that when Lugia's with you, it's always more comfortable."

"And you've seen it fly," put in Hillary.

"And I know it's an excellent swimmer," added Tristan.

"If you say that Lugia can swim, then I believe you," smiled Professor Elm. "You've earned my stamp of approval."

"Looks like you're in, Lugia," said Tristan.

_Well, I have done a lot of swimming before, _replied Lugia. Then it thought to itself. _I just hope that I really can save someone in trouble._

"The other campers will arrive sometime tomorrow, so feel free to explore Silver Rock Isle for a while," said Professor Elm.

"Okay!" replied Tristan and Hillary.

"Come on, Lugia!" said Hillary. "Do you want to explore with us?"

_No, thanks, _answered Lugia. _I think I'll grab a nap instead. Maybe I'll feel better after a quick snooze. _It then gave a big yawn.

"Poor thing," said Hillary to Tristan. "Getting rejected by someone you love and crying your heart out can really take its toll on anyone."

Tristan understood, especially after the tough day Lugia had. "Yeah, it can make anyone feel exhausted. Hey, Professor Elm, could you please watch Lugia and make sure it's okay during its nap?"

"Sure, I can do that, Tristan."

"Thanks, Professor Elm. We'll be back soon." He then gently stroked Lugia. "You deserve a good rest, buddy." And he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi walked off to explore Silver Rock Isle.

Lugia thought to itself, _I don't know this Professor Elm very well, but he seems to be nice._

Professor Elm slowly walked over to Lugia, knelt down, and gently stroked it. He felt its skin, which was rougher than he thought, but it was still quite warm.

Lugia felt the gentle strokes and closed its eyes. It felt so much more relaxed. In a few minutes, it had fallen fast asleep.

* * *

A few hours later, Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon returned carrying a lot of bags.

Professor Elm was impressed. "Wow, you two came prepared. You must've bought a lot of supplies."

"Yes, we did," replied Hillary. "We have medical supplies and food supplies, plus just about anything we need to help us out when we need it."

"Grandma told us to always be prepared for any situation," added Tristan.

_(Music Cue: Orchestral (as heard in the 4Kids dubbed version)_

It was then that they noticed that Lugia still had its eyes closed and hadn't moved a muscle since they left.

"Wow, Lugia's still sleeping," whispered Hillary.

"No wonder, after the tough day Lugia's been through," agreed Tristan.

"There were no problems whatsoever," smiled Professor Oak. "I'm sure that nap will help it feel a lot better."

Sure enough, Lugia was still sound asleep.

"It sure looks like it's totally content," remarked Hillary.

"I had a chance to do a little research on Lugia while I was watching it," continued Professor Elm. "There have only been a few reports that there is a breeding population somewhere on the Whirl Islands. And I highly speculate that it's nearby. If my theory is correct, we researchers may be able to come up with a way to preserve Lugia and its natural habitat."

"Lugia would certainly appreciate that," smiled Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with him.

"I hope you'll pass the knowledge on to Professor Oak when you speak with him," said Hillary.

"I'll be sure to do that, Hillary," replied Professor Elm.

At that moment, Lugia slowly opened its eyes, gave a yawn, and stretched its wings.

Tristan and Pikachu walked over. "Well, look who finally woke up. Did you have a good nap?"

_Yes, thank you, _answered Lugia. _I feel a lot better now._

"Glad to hear it," smiled Tristan.

Suddenly...

_BOOM!_

_(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

A loud explosion was heard and felt from not too far away.

"What was that?" asked Hillary.

"It came from the market district!" replied Professor Elm.

"Let's check it out," suggested Tristan as he and the others ran off.

Lugia watched them take off into the distance. It soon became concerned. _Someone may need my help, _it thought to itself. _I don't care what Silveena says. If it's a human who needs help, I'll help them._

* * *

_(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

In Kasado City's market district, a massive fire was raging out of control in one of the buildings while threatening another.

The citizens watched anxiously as Officer Jenny approached on her motorcycle.

"Please, everyone, just move back!" she implored. "The fire department should be on its way!"

Presently, a panicked firefighter's voice was heard on Officer Jenny's radio. "Come in, Officer Jenny! Come in, please!"

"This is Officer Jenny," she replied as she spoke into the radio.

"We've got a problem," said the firefighter. "We can't start our fire engine!"

"What?!" gasped Officer Jenny. "Aren't there other trucks at your station?"

"Our other fire trucks are in for repairs!" replied the firefighter.

"Good grief," grumbled Officer Jenny disdainfully.

Tristan, Hillary, and Professor Elm arrived on the scene at that very moment and saw Officer Jenny.

"Oh, no!" gasped Professor Elm

"Officer Jenny, what's going on?" asked Hillary.

"There's a fire that's out of control, and the fire department can't seem to get their only available engine started," replied Officer Jenny. "If this keeps up, it could threaten the whole market district!"

"Don't worry, Officer Jenny, we're on the job," said Tristan. "Let's do this, Hillary."

"Right, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

Tristan took out his Lure Ball while Hillary took out her Poké Ball, which they both threw at the same instant.

"Croconaw, I choose you!"

"Squirtle, I choose you!"

Both Poké Balls opened and both Croconaw and Squirtle emerged from the white lights that shot out of them as they awaited their Trainers' directions.

"Croconaw, use your Water Gun attack to put out the fire!" ordered Tristan.

"You, too, Squirtle, Water Gun!" commanded Hillary.

Croconaw and Squirtle shot powerful blasts of water at the raging fire in an attempt to douse it.

"Those two Pokémon sure know how to fight fires," remarked Professor Elm.

"Let's just hope it's enough," said Officer Jenny.

"Keep on pumping, Squirtle, you're doing great!" encouraged Hillary.

"You, too, Croconaw, hang in there!" added Tristan.

Just then, a young woman was seen frantically running down the street directly toward them. "Have any of you seen my little boy, Leon? I can't find him anywhere!"

"No, ma'am, we haven't," replied Officer Jenny.

"He's not in the burning building, is he?" asked Tristan worriedly.

Suddenly...

"Help! Help me!"

_(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998)_

A little boy was seen shouting for help from an upstairs window, and the fire was rapidly closing in on him.

"Leon!" cried the woman.

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary. "That's the little boy, and he's trapped inside!"

"And the fire department's still far away!" added Officer Jenny. "If that boy isn't rescued soon, he's a goner!"

Sure enough, the little boy was feeling very scared and crying as his eyes watered from the intense smoke and flames.

"We have to do something before this whole building burns down to the ground!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I'm coming, Leon!" cried the woman as she tried to go in the burning building to save him.

But Officer Jenny stopped her. "Please, ma'am, stay back!"

"Leon needs help. I'm going in!" said Tristan as he rushed toward the burning building.

"Tristan, wait!" shouted Hillary.

But it was no use, for Tristan had already disappeared inside.

_Please be careful, big bro, _thought Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi watched with concern as Croconaw and Squirtle kept using their Water Gun on the fire as best they could.

* * *

Inside, flames could be seen almost everywhere.

Tristan desperately looked all around for the little boy. "Hey! Leon! Can you hear me?" he shouted as loud as he could.

But the flames were so big and so loud that there was no response.

He tried again. "Leon! Please let me know where you are!"

But there was still no response.

"This is bad," said Tristan to himself. "Leon's nowhere to be seen, and this fire is getting bigger by the second. I have to get him out...and fast."

As he spoke, big pieces of burning debris fell from above and completely surrounded him, leaving him with no place left to run.

Tristan began to get dizzy as the heat from the flames intensified, and soon, he felt so lightheaded from the intense heat that he collapsed on the ground and passed out.

Lugia, who was still on the beach, immediately sensed Tristan in trouble and flew high into the air. It then took a deep breath, and emitted a mysterious call that was so loud it could be heard for miles.

Everyone heard that very call as they watched the building continue to burn.

Inside the building, Tristan's Silver Wing around his neck began to glow, and as it did, the mysterious call was heard again.

Hearing the call, Tristan slowly opened his eyes. He saw the Silver Wing around his neck glowing brightly. Then he heard Lugia's voice.

_Tristan, please don't give up._

"Lugia...is that you?" asked Tristan. He couldn't believe that Lugia was speaking to him telepathically, even though it was far away from him.

_Yes, Tristan. I'm communicating to you through the Silver Wing. Use its light; it'll guide you out._

The light from the Silver Wing transformed into a beam of light that seemed to be pointing somewhere.

Once Tristan knew what Lugia was talking about, he came back to his senses. He knew that he had to use the Silver Wing's light to help guide himself and Leon through the flames. It was their only chance.

_You can do it, Tristan. I know you can. I believe in you._

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Chikorita's Big Upset"))_

He quickly got back on his feet and shouted for Leon as his Silver Wing continued to glow. "Leon! Please come to the light! Follow the light!"

Leon saw the Silver Wing's light through the flames and slowly came towards it, dodging the flames as he went. At last, he reached Tristan.

"You did it!" cheered Tristan excitedly. "Now, let's get outta here!" And he carefully carried Leon on his back as the Silver Wing's beam of light guided them out through the flames and burning rubble.

Outside, Hillary and the others watched anxiously as they waited for something to happen.

Then a bright light was seen coming out of the burning building as two silhouettes emerged.

It was Tristan carrying Leon, much to everyone's delight.

"Tristan!" cried Hillary.

"Leon!" cried the woman.

"And they both made it out!" added Officer Jenny.

"Great job!" commended Hillary.

"You were very brave indeed," added Professor Elm.

Tristan lowered Leon to the ground.

Leon and his mother embraced each other.

"Mom!" cried Leon.

"I'm here now, Leon," said his mother. She turned to Tristan. "How can I thank you for what you've done for my little boy?"

"I'm just glad he's okay, ma'am," replied Tristan. He then noticed Squirtle and Croconaw were tiring out from using their Water Gun for a long time. Then he turned to Hillary. "Hillary, maybe our Lapras can help Squirtle and Croconaw put the fire out."

"Right, Tristan," said Hillary.

She and Tristan both threw their Poké Balls.

Both Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Lapras, Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan and Hillary together.

Both Lapras nodded and aimed powerful blasts of water at the raging fire.

Squirtle and Croconaw, seeing the assistance the Lapras were giving them, increased the velocity of their Water Gun attacks.

"It's really working!" smiled Professor Elm.

"Now that's showing some teamwork!" added Officer Jenny.

Squirtle, the two Lapras, and Croconaw all worked together to get the fire back under control.

* * *

That evening, the fire was completely out. Although the building suffered heavy damage, there were no injuries thanks to Tristan's bravery.

Officer Jenny came to Tristan, Hillary, and their Water Pokémon. "Thank you, everybody, for a job well done. I should make you honorary firefighters someday."

"Well, we've had experience fighting fires before," replied Hillary.

"I'll see about having that firefighter have more than just one truck ready to go next time," said Officer Jenny. And she got on her motorcycle and took off as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi, and Professor Elm waved to her.

Presently, everyone heard a voice coming from the sky.

_Tristan! Tristan!_

_(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

Tristan turned around to see Lugia descending from the sky towards him. As it landed next to him, they hugged one another.

_I'm so glad you're safe, _it said.

"I wouldn't have made it out if you hadn't called out to me the way you did," replied Tristan. "Thank you."

"So that's what that mysterious call was all about," said Hillary. "Lugia must've been watching out for you this entire time."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "You know something, sis? I have a feeling it was. And it was able to communicate with me...thanks to this." And he raised his Silver Wing in the air, and it glistened brightly.

Everyone watched in awe as the light shone.

"Lugia, you've proven yourself to be a fantastic lifeguard," said Tristan.

"He's right, Lugia," smiled Professor Elm. "Would you like to be our Whirl Camp lifeguard?"

"Well, Lugia, wanna do it?" asked Tristan. "You've earned it."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

Lugia thought about it. At last, it said, _I'll do it. If I can save Tristan, I can save others. _Then it whispered to itself, _And soon, I'll prove to Silveena that humans _are _worth saving._

"Did you say something, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

_Oh, nothing, _answered Lugia sheepishly.

Everyone laughed.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan and Hillary prepared themselves to meet with the other campers as the opening day of Whirl Camp arrived. They, Pikachu, and Togepi all came outside and met Lugia and Professor Elm.

"Well, kids, it's almost time," said Professor Elm. "Are you all set to go camping?"

"You bet we are!" said Hillary excitedly.

Tristan, Pikachu, Togepi, and Lugia all nodded in agreement.

"I can't wait for Whirl Camp to start," said Tristan. "We'll go swimming, camp out, and meet all kinds of Pokémon and Trainers."

Lugia nodded. It was just as excited about Whirl Camp as Tristan was.

* * *

_And so, with Whirl Camp set to begin soon, Tristan and Hillary have met up with Professor Elm to attend, and have brought Lugia along as a special guest. With the many people they're destined to meet and the many Pokémon they'll be learning about, they're sure to get their feet wet as the journey to the Johto League continues!_

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	67. WHIRL CAMP, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is the first of five chapters of Whirl Camp as we go into chapter 67 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Whirl Islands. I'm basing this chapter off of chapter 11 called "Camp Kookooskos" in the book _The Trumpet of the Swan _where people first come to camp. Also, the song _Never Too Far From Home _makes an appearance. The song was composed by Neil Jaosn, John Loeffler, and John McCurry and the lead vocal is Shareef McQueen. I'm only inserting the instrumental version, so you can imagine him and the backup singers singing along. Again, there are similarities and differences between the two chapters. I hope you enjoy.**

**TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are appointed as Whirl Camp's junior counselors while Lugia is appointed as a lifeguard as they meet Trainers from all over, including Tarah, who rides a wheelchair to get around, and Ed, who does things he shouldn't be doing. But they also meet some new friends while reuniting with old friends. Lugia also shows Tristan the beauty of the night sky in the sky.**

**Chapter 67: WHIRL CAMP, PART 1**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in the beginning of "Takin' it on the Chinchou"))_

_Today, our heroes are eagerly awaiting the start of Whirl Camp. After receiving Professor Elm's invitation to attend, they decided to bring Lugia along as a special guest._

_I wonder where all the other campers are, _said Lugia as it waited with its friends.

"Don't worry, Lugia, they'll be here soon," replied Tristan.

"Yeah, you'll see them," agreed Hillary.

Presently, a boy with brown hair in a short bowl cut arrived. "Hey, Tristan! Hillary!"

Tristan and Hillary smiled. "It's Cody!" And they and Pikachu happily ran over to greet him.

"Great to see you again!" said Cody. "I haven't seen you since you guys came to Seafoam Island."

"Yeah, how have you been?" asked Hillary.

"I've been doing great," answered Cody. "Ever since you helped me conquer my fear of the water, I've been taking swimming lessons. My mother seems to think that coming here to Whirl Camp would be a great idea for me. By the way, who's that trying to hide behind you?"

_(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity (Johto (as heard at the beginning of "Charizard's Burning Ambitions")))_

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see Lugia looking a little nervous as it peeked its head over to Tristan's left side.

_Is he a friend? How do you know that kid? _asked Lugia nervously.

"It's okay," whispered Tristan. "He's a good friend of mine." He then turned to Cody. "This is my good friend, Lugia, Cody."

"That's incredible!" said Cody. "You're friends with a legendary Pokémon? How?"

"We first met when it hatched, and it took a liking to me right away." explained Tristan. "It's a little nervous around strangers, though."

"I understand," replied Cody.

"Lugia, this is my friend, Cody," said Tristan. "He's very nice."

_Hi, Cody, _replied Lugia.

Cody nearly jumped back in surprise when he heard Lugia's telepathy. "Whoa! You can talk! Most Pokémon don't have the ability to speak human language, but you're talking to me right before my eyes! It's incredible!"

Lugia nodded. _It's nice to meet you._

Then, Cody noticed Togepi in Hillary's arms. "Wow, you have a Togepi! It's so adorable. You two are just full of surprises today."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu nodded as Togepi chirped in agreement. Presently, they saw a boy in swimming trunks approaching.

"That kid must be a good swimmer," murmured Tristan.

"I'll say," whispered Hillary in agreement. "He doesn't have any other clothes on."

"Hi there," said the boy. "I'm Oliver."

"Nice to meet you, Oliver," replied Tristan. "I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary, and our Pokémon, Pikachu and Togepi."

"Hello," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Oliver warmly as Lugia slowly walked backward.

Cody walked up to Oliver. "Hello, my name's Cody."

"It's nice to meet you, Cody," smiled Oliver. "I guess we have more things in common than we thought." And the two boys gave good chuckles.

Lugia, watching from a short distance saw Oliver with Cody. _Hey! I know that boy! I have to know from him if my family's okay!_

"I couldn't help but notice, but I heard that a Lugia was here as a lifeguard," explained Oliver.

"Yes, that's right," replied Hillary.

Suddenly, Lugia appeared and put its wings on Oliver's shoulders. _Hey, have you seen my family? Are they okay?_

"Lugia, please, take it easy!" implored Hillary.

"Yeah, don't worry," added Tristan as he comforted it. "I'm sure your family's safe and sound."

_Sorry. I couldn't help it. But I've seen this boy before, and he is the boy I've proven to be innocent! So I just had to ask him!_

Tristan, Hillary, and Oliver gasped in shock: Oliver for listening to Lugia speaking telepathically and reuniting with it, and Tristan and Hillary for learning that Lugia had known Oliver ever since it was small.

"How do you know Oliver, Lugia?" asked Hillary.

_When my mother came and frightened him, she had accused him of trying to hurt my sibling, _explained Lugia.

"You must mean Silver, right?" asked Oliver.

Lugia nodded. _I could tell that he had no bad intentions, so after I saw my mother scaring him half out of his wits, I pleaded with my mother not to harm him. And that's the reason why I was forced to leave my family behind. And yesterday, when I met this Lugia of a different color named Silveena, she told me that humans and Pokémon are not meant to become friends. And that's when I was invited to come here and be a lifeguard, especially now that I know I saved Tristan's life while he and Hillary fought a huge fire and helped save a little kid._

Tristan, Oliver, and Hillary were silent and completely understood Lugia's story.

"Well, I had to say goodbye to Silver after teaming up with Ash and his friends to save it and its parent from Team Rocket," explained Oliver. "They've gone back to living a happy life together and are probably far away by now, but I know they're fine, and I know Silver will be back to play with me after it grows up big and strong, just like you have. Say, how did you grow up so fast?"

"Well, you see..." began Tristan.

_It was your kindness and compassion, Tristan,_ answered Lugia. _After I left my family, I was attacked, but your promise to protect me and keep me safe as well as your compassion helped me grow up to be big and strong. And, Oliver, I'm sure Silver will be back to play with you soon, too._

"Thanks, Lugia," smiled Oliver. He couldn't wait for the day that Silver, the baby Lugia that he once befriended, returned to play with him.

Then Tristan turned to see more young Trainers approaching. "Looks like we've got company."

"And lots of it," added Hillary.

_(Music Cue: No Way, No How! (as heard in "The Ninja Poké Showdown"))_

Sure enough, there were Trainers of all kinds, some of whom were just starting out on their journeys, and they were all running to get a closer look at Lugia.

Tristan had to push some of them away to make sure they wouldn't scare it. "Hey, take it easy, will you? This Pokémon needs its own space, too!"

Pikachu protested in agreement.

Lugia nervously stepped back as the crowd of young Trainers got closer. It didn't feel comfortable with a crowd of people approaching it too fast.

Professor Elm had to come over to calm things down. "All right, kids, let's settle down now before someone gets hurt."

Then, Tristan and Hillary saw a little girl in the distance. She was in a wheelchair looking the other way all by herself.

"I wonder who that girl is," said Tristan.

"Do you know, Professor?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, that's Tarah," answered Professor Elm. "She's been in a wheelchair for most of her life. She can walk, but not very well, and has never been able to make friends with anyone just by rolling around in a wheelchair all day. She's a little shy, too, so that doesn't help the situation."

This made Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Togepi, and Lugia very sad.

Presently, Tristan was hit in the back of the head by a flying beach ball. "Ow! Hey, watch it!"

A boy, who was slightly fat, was heard laughing behind him. "I guess your reflexes are a little slow!" He ran to pick up the beach ball. "Thanks, kid!" And then he darted off.

"Well, that wasn't very nice," grumbled Tristan.

_Who's that kid? _asked Lugia.

"Oh, that's Ed," answered Professor Elm. "Apparently, people make fun of his name, making him act like a bully. Not only that, he doesn't seem to like Pokémon, plus he gets jealous at times."

"That's just awful," said Hillary.

"And sometimes, he will do things that he's not supposed to do," continued Professor Elm.

Lugia thought to itself, _Ed must not have very many friends if he's acting like that._

* * *

_(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

A little while later, Professor Elm gathered all the Trainers around him on the beach. "Welcome, everyone, to Whirl Camp, a special Pokémon Summer Camp here in the Johto region. And, please welcome Lugia, who will be your lifeguard throughout the week. It's a great Pokémon to have around, and a great friend. So please be sure to treat it well."

Everyone clapped. But Tarah didn't. She just kept staring at the horizon.

And Ed didn't either, he just turned away scornfully.

Lugia looked a little embarrassed.

"Now I'd like us to get things started by having a meet and greet," continued Professor Elm. "But before we get things rolling, I'd like to hand things over to the true master of ceremonies, Professor Oak."

Everyone clapped as Professor Oak made his appearance.

Tristan and Hillary didn't expect Professor Oak to be there, but were happy to see him nonetheless.

"Thank you, Professor Elm," smiled Professor Oak. "And welcome, boys and girls, to Whirl Camp. This is a great opportunity to discover new Pokémon and meet new friends around the Whirl Islands. Some of you may be visiting from home while others came in the middle of their journey. But whatever your goal is, always strive for it, and chase after it as fast as you can go. So, without further ado, let's make new friends and get things started."

Everyone was in complete agreement and they got up...all but Tarah.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu came to see Professor Oak.

"Hey, thanks for coming," smiled Professor Oak.

"Hi, Professor Oak," said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi greeted Professor Oak happily.

Professor Oak then saw Lugia. "Ah, so you've brought Lugia as your special guest. It's big, and it's looking well."

"And it's this week's lifeguard, too," added Hillary.

"Hey, why don't we all go swimming?" suggested Tristan. "It'll be a great way to know each other better."

"Great idea, Tristan!" agreed Hillary. "May we do that, Professors?"

"Of course," replied Professor Oak and Professor Elm together.

Professor Elm came to speak to the Trainers. "Everyone, Tristan and Hillary suggested that you all go swimming. All those in favor?"

Everyone but Tarah raised their hands and shouted "Aye!"

"The ayes have it," said Professor Elm.

Everyone cheered...all but Tarah.

"But before you start having fun, I need you to stay with a buddy," continued Professor Elm. "We don't want any swimming incidents happening this week. And remember, your lifeguard will be watching."

Hillary started off for the water, but stopped.

Tristan saw her. "Aren't you coming?"

"Tarah can't swim, remember?" reminded Hillary.

Tristan had forgotten about Tarah being in the wheelchair.

"I'll stay here with Tarah," said Hillary. "You go ahead and play with the others."

"Okay, then," replied Tristan. "I'll see you in a little bit." And he ran off.

Hillary came over to Tarah, who looked depressed. "Hi, Tarah. I'm Hillary. What's the matter?"

_(Music Cue: Prayer)_

Tarah lifted her head a little and said, "I just wish I could run and swim like you guys can. My mother sent me to camp because she thought I could get out and make some new friends. But I've never made real friends before. I'm not sure if I'll ever have a Pokémon for a friend."

"I know you're disappointed by sitting in that wheelchair all day," replied Hillary. "But you never know unless you try."

Tarah sighed. "If only I could walk freely, or even fly."

Presently, Lugia came up and accidentally scared Tarah.

"Aaah! A big Pokémon!" she screamed.

"Relax, Tarah, it's okay," Hillary assured her. "This is Lugia, our designated lifeguard. It won't hurt you."

Tarah seemed to tremble because of Lugia's size.

Lugia saw how scared Tarah was and slowly drew back.

Hillary then came to Lugia.

_Sorry, Hillary, _it whispered. _I didn't mean to scare her._

"It's not your fault, Lugia," replied Hillary. "She's not used to seeing anything so big."

_What's that thing she's sitting in? _asked Lugia.

"That's a wheelchair," answered Hillary. "Tarah can't walk very well, so she spends most of her time in it to help her get around. Hey, I've got an idea. Come over here and meet Tarah."

_But won't I scare her again? _asked Lugia nervously.

"Tarah will warm up to you soon enough," replied Hillary. "But don't forget to speak softly." And she took Lugia over to Tarah.

Tarah saw Lugia coming to her and shut her eyes tightly.

_It's okay, Tarah, _Lugia assured her.

_(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

Tarah stopped trembling and opened her eyes. "Did you just talk?"

Lugia nodded. _Do you have friends?_

Tarah shook her head.

Lugia felt sad. Then it said, _I'd like to be your friend, if you'll let me._

Tarah looked at Lugia straight in the eye and said, "You'd really be my friend?"

_Absolutely, _answered Lugia as it lowered its head.

Tarah didn't know what to say, so she slowly reached forward and gently touched Lugia's head. She couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

Hillary smiled. "You see, Tarah? Now you have a friend."

"Thanks, Hillary. And thank you, Lugia," said Tarah. "I feel a lot better now that I know I have at least one friend. But how did you know that I needed one?"

_I could tell just by looking at you that you have a good heart, _explained Lugia. _And I know that it isn't a lot of fun to just be sitting in that wheelchair all day. I have a feeling that Whirl Camp will help expand your horizons._

"Lugia's right," agreed Hillary. "And we'll help you find new people and Pokémon to be friends with. Some, like Lugia, are big and strong while others are cute and cuddly like Pikachu."

Tarah seemed to be cheering up as she listened. She felt happier with each minute, especially that she made friends with Lugia. Then she felt Pikachu jumping into her lap. Tarah gently petted Pikachu on the head.

Pikachu seemed to like it very much.

"Now I have two new friends," smiled Tarah. "Thanks, Pikachu."

Pikachu smiled and nodded.

_I have to watch the others in the water now, _said Lugia. _But I promise to play with you later in the week._

"You'd do that?" asked Tarah.

_Yes, I would. I promise, _replied Lugia.

"Oh, thank you, Lugia," smiled Tarah as she hugged it.

And with that, Lugia flew into the air and landed next to the water.

"That's so graceful. I wish I could fly like that," sighed Tarah as she watched.

_I have a feeling that you will, Tarah,_ thought Hillary. Then she said aloud. "Tristan and I are gonna spend some time planning out the week while we're here. We'll have plenty of surprises and have lots of fun."

"I'd sure like to see them," smiled Tarah. "Now I'm getting even more excited just thinking about it!"

* * *

Tristan and the others were having fun swimming in the water as Lugia watched.

Tristan put his head underwater, but soon, he had to come up for air. He took another deep breath and tried again, but came up again seconds later.

The other Trainers did the exact same thing.

Lugia was confused, so it swam over to Tristan. _Why can't you stay underwater for a long time like I can?_

"I can't breathe underwater," answered Tristan.

Lugia became concerned. _Why not?_

"Because humans have lungs, which take in air, not water," answered Tristan.

Lugia felt sad. _What do you mean?_

"What I mean is, humans are unable to breathe underwater under normal circumstances," explained Tristan. "They can get in big trouble if they're unable to come up for air right away, and could lose consciousness, or worse, drown."

_That sounds terrible! _said Lugia. _I'll make sure nothing bad happens during my time here. After all, I'm the designated lifeguard._

Tristan nodded in agreement.

"However, humans can use special diving gear to help them breathe underwater for an extended length of time," continued Tristan.

_I'm very interested to see how this special gear works, _replied Lugia.

"We'll make sure you see it," smiled Tristan. "But for now, let's keep swimming!"

And everyone did for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Golden Silver)_

That evening, Tristan made a campfire and cooked up a big bowl of stew for every Trainer, plus Professor Oak and Professor Elm.

When it was ready, Professor Elm called the Trainers to the campfire.

Everyone happily dug in and thanked Tristan for the wonderful meal.

"Wow, Tristan, your stew recipe is top-notch," said Professor Elm.

"Thanks, Professor Elm," replied Tristan. "Brock was the one who taught me how to cook."

"You're very fortunate to have met someone like him," smiled Professor Elm.

Lugia then came over and noticed the delicious aroma. _That looks good, Tristan. What is it?_

"It's my special stew recipe," answered Tristan. "It's got a lot of the essential vitamins and minerals to help you grow up to be strong and healthy. Brock taught me how to make it when I first started my journey."

_May I try it?_

"Sure, Lugia," answered Tristan. "Hey, Hillary, could you get some of that hot stew for Lugia?"

"Sure thing," said Hillary. She got a big bowl and used a spoon to distribute the stew into it. "There you go, Lugia."

Lugia came to the bowl and took a little taste of the stew. Its face brightened up, and it said, _It's great! _And it happily dug in.

Tristan was happy that Lugia was enjoying another one of his recipes, but not as happy with the fact that his plan to help Lugia get the heartbreaking situation with Silveena out of its mind was succeeding so far.

In a little while, Lugia had finished its helping of stew. _May I have seconds please?_

Tristan gave a chuckle. "Sure, Lugia. I'll make sure you get some." Then he said to the other Trainers, "There's plenty of stew left, everybody, so feel free to have seconds if you want."

The other Trainers were happy to know that and helped themselves to a second helping.

* * *

After dinner, everyone washed the dishes and got ready to follow Porfessor Elm into the cabins.

But as Professor Elm saw Tristan and Hillary follow him, he suddenly remembered. "Uh-oh. I forgot to get you two beds for those cabins. You may have to find somewhere else to sleep.

"Well, the Pokémon Center is a possibility, Professor Elm," said Professor Oak. "Tristan and Hillary could sleep there. Besides, it's not too far from where we're standing, and they're the junior camp counselors. They deserve special privileges for that, right?"

"I guess that's true," replied Professor Elm. "Would the Pokémon Center be okay with you guys?"

"Sure, it's fine with us," replied Tristan.

"Yeah, we don't have a problem with that at all," added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi seemed to like the idea.

"I have to get back to Pallet Town and help out at the lab," said Professor Oak. "Always know that I'm a phone call away if you need any extra help."

"Don't worry, Professor," replied Tristan. "The Trainers will be in good hands."

Tristan and Hillary waved to Professor Oak and Professor Elm as they started toward the Pokémon Center.

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!" called Professor Elm as he and Professor Oak waved back.

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

That night, as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi got ready for bed at the Pokémon Center, Lugia poked its head through the open window.

"Hey, Lugia," said Tristan. "Did you come to say goodnight to us?"

Lugia nodded. _I'm gonna try and sleep at the bottom of the ocean tonight. I want to see what it's like down there compared to when I'm on land. I'll be close by, so if you need me, I'll come right away like I always have._

"Okay, Lugia," said Hillary.

Lugia bent its head down low. _I still miss my family: Silver, my mother, and, most of all, Silveena. I don't know when I'll see them again._

Tristan came over to the window and gently put his hand on Lugia's slender neck. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what. And I just know you'll reunite with your family sometime soon. And as long as they're in your thoughts, they'll never be too far away."

"Well put, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

_Thanks, guys, _replied Lugia. _Even though my real family isn't right there next to me, you've always treated me like family. And I'm sure Silveena and my family will know it, too._

Tristan smiled. "You know what? I think the ocean would be a wonderful place for you to try and sleep tonight. Professor Oak says that most Lugia like to live at the bottom of the ocean, but they can also live on land."

_I guess that's true, _grinned Lugia. _I think I have a system that can adapt to living on both land and water._

"That's what makes you so unique," said Hillary. "One of a kind."

"Everyone is," agreed Tristan.

Lugia nodded. _Hey, I'd like to show you something. Would you like to fly along and see it with me?_

"I'd like that, Lugia," replied Tristan. "Pikachu and I will meet you outside. Wanna come, Hillary?"

Hillary yawned. "No thanks. Togepi and I are too tired."

Sure enough, Togepi had already fallen asleep as it had withdrawn into its shell.

"Okay, then," said Tristan. "Good night."

"Good night, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Enjoy your time with Lugia." Then she closed her eyes and thought, _Tristan and Lugia have a really strong bond with one another. Could it be because of the Silver Wing? Is it the power of friendship and trust? Or is it a combination? _She just lay on the bed thinking about those questions and thought about the answer. But none came, for it didn't matter, for in a few minutes, she had fallen fast asleep.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Never Too Far From Home (instrumental as heard in "Houndoom's Special Delivery"))_

A few minutes later, Tristan and Pikachu took off into the night sky on Lugia's back. Higher and higher they soared until they were high into the clouds.

"This is great," said Tristan. "It's so calm and peaceful up here."

Pikachu agreed.

_I know you're used to flying with me in the daytime, _said Lugia, _but I'd like to show you that the night has so much to see from the sky, too. Just look around._

Sure enough, the sky was beautiful with plenty of stars and a full moon to help illuminate it.

"I never thought I'd get a view of the sky from high up," said Tristan. "I'm so used to seeing it from the ground, but I never thought I'd get a much better look here."

_And that's not all, _added Lugia. _You get a view of the ocean down there._

Lugia was right, for the moon's reflection could be seen hundreds of feet below.

Tristan and Pikachu smiled as Lugia flew on for the next several minutes.

"The moon looks close enough to touch from up here," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

_This is the kind of thing that should bring everyone together, _continued Lugia. _A calm and quiet moonlit night with people and Pokémon to share it with. Once Silveena and I become husband and wife, I'll show her the moonlight that makes nighttime special just like I did with you. And I know you and Pikachu will be there in spirit. Right, Tristan?_

But there was no response.

Lugia glanced around and saw that Tristan had laid his head down on its back; he had fallen fast asleep.

Pikachu had fallen asleep shortly thereafter.

_Would you look at that, _whispered Lugia to itself. _They must be so relaxed from this flight. _And with that, Lugia decreased its flying speed so it wouldn't accidentally shake Tristan and Pikachu off. Then it carefully turned around and flew back to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Once Lugia arrived at the Pokémon Center a few minutes later, it used Psychic to help Tristan and Pikachu go through the open window and helped get them into bed. _Good night, guys, _it whispered. _I'll see you in the morning. _Then it took off into the air, flew towards the ocean, and dove down below the surface with a tremendous splash. Finally, it dove to the ocean floor. Having been able to enjoy another nice flight with Tristan and Pikachu, Lugia closed its eyes and fell fast asleep, thinking about its family and Silveena.

* * *

The next morning, Lugia dove up to the surface, yawned, and stretched its wings. It then had a nice breakfast of seaweed. It could see Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi coming out of the Pokémon Center in the distance.

Professor Elm saw them coming. "Ah, good morning, guys. It sure is a nice day today."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Are you two ready for another great day filled with surprises?"

"We sure are, Professor," replied Hillary.

Presently, Tarah rolled up in her wheelchair. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Tarah," replied Tristan.

"Did you sleep okay?" asked Hillary.

"Well, not exactly," answered Tarah.

"Is something wrong?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I could use your help," replied Tarah. "Could you do me a favor?"

"We'd be happy to do it, Tarah," said Tristan. "What is it?"

* * *

_(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting (sample))_

_With Whirl Camp finally underway, our heroes have had a chance to know some interesting Trainers. What is Tarah requesting our heroes to help her with? Find out as Whirl Camp continues._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	68. WHIRL CAMP, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 68 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Whirl Islands. Luka from the anime makes one more appearance in this chapter. Please feel free to read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tarah asks for help searching for a locket that she lost one year ago while on a boating trip through the Whirl Islands. But when Ed teases a Shellder and Tentacool, a dangerous chase ensues, and Tristan and Hillary must help the Trainers to safety, thus causing the quest to find Tarah's missing locket to be no easy task.**

**Chapter 68: WHIRL CAMP, PART 2**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Once in a Blue Moon"))_

_Today, after a day of meeting and greeting other Trainers, Tristan and Hillary look forward to another exciting day at Whirl Camp. Lugia is the designated lifeguard, and Tristan and Hillary are the camp's junior counselors. But Tarah, who gets around by wheelchair has asked them a favor._

"I really need your help," said Tarah.

"What is it?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I need to find something I lost," replied Tarah.

"What did you lose, Tarah?" asked Tristan.

"Well, it's kind of complicated." And Tarah started telling her story.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

"It was about a year ago that my dad and I explored the Whirl Islands by boat," she explained. "I wanted my mom to come, too, but she said that she had other things to do at home. She and I are really close, and she wanted to give me something to remember her.

"She gave me a locket that had a picture of her in it. That helped me feel better. Every time I looked at it, it was like my mother was with us.

"But during our boat ride, we saw a bunch of Remoraid swimming by. I wanted to get a closer look, so my dad helped me out of my wheelchair to help me see them. But unfortunately, my locket around my neck broke off, and it dropped into the ocean. I wanted to dive down after it, but my dad wouldn't let me. He said that lockets are replaceable, but I'm not. Of course, that made me really sad. I haven't seen that locket since that day.

* * *

"That's why I need your help to find my locket," said Tarah. "I get lonesome without seeing that picture of my mother in it."

"Well, we'll help you find it somehow," said Tristan. "Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu agreed.

"And I can help out, too, right, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Of course you can," smiled Tristan. "We'll do our best to help you get that locket of yours back."

"Oh, thanks, guys, you're the best," said Tarah.

Professor Elm came over as he saw Lugia having its breakfast in the distance.

"That Lugia friend of yours is really something," remarked Professor Elm. "A Lugia befriending a Trainer is something I don't see very often."

"Professor Elm, Lugia's been wanting to see how humans can stay underwater for an extended period of time," explained Tristan. "Do you have any equipment on hand?"

"Well, I don't have it," replied Professor Elm, "but I know someone else who does."

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary.

"I mean I know someone who has some of that special equipment," explained Professor Elm. "As a matter of fact, kids, I've been told that Luka from Ogi City on Yellow Rock Isle is coming to visit us today, and she's going to lead you and the other Trainers on an underwater exploration."

Tristan and Hillary were surprised.

"Luka's coming?" asked Hillary.

"Does that mean we can dive underwater and see all the Water Pokémon that live there?" asked Tristan.

"Precisely," replied Professor Oak. "And I have a feeling it will expand your horizons."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Route 29)_

Sure enough, Luka's boat came to Silver Rock Isle, and a few minutes later, Luka herself appeared. She saw Tristan and Hillary and immediately came to see them. "Tristan! Hillary!"

Tristan and Hillary turned to see her. "It's Luka!" they said excitedly.

"How have you been?" asked Luka.

"We've been well," answered Hillary.

Presently, Luka saw Lugia in the distance. "Wow, so that must be the Lugia Tristan was talking about. I heard that it's your lifeguard for Whirl Camp."

"It is, Luka," replied Tristan. "It's been wanting to see how humans can stay underwater for an extended period of time."

"Well, that's why I brought my diving gear," smiled Luka.

Presently, all the other Trainers arrived.

"Well, you'd better get everyone together so we can get started," suggested Luka.

Tristan and Hillary nodded in agreement.

"Hey, everybody!" called Hillary. "It's time to gather round!"

All the Trainers stopped what they were doing and sat down on the ground...all but Tarah, who sat in her wheelchair.

Lugia saw all the Trainers gather together and flew over. It gently landed next to them.

Professor Elm came to them. "We have a very special guest today," he said. "So I'd like for you to give her you undivided attention. Please welcome deep-sea diver Luka from Ogi City."

Everyone clapped, even Tarah.

Luka came and faced the group of Trainers. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Luka," the Trainers answered.

"Yes, as Professor Elm mentioned, my name's Luka," said Luka. "I've been exploring the seas in the Whirl Islands for some time now. I've had a few Trainers help me a few times before on my underwater explorations. And now, I'd like to lead you on an underwater exploration. You know, for fun."

Everyone seemed to like the idea.

Tarah raised her hand. "Excuse me, Miss Luka?"

"Yes, young girl in the wheelchair?"

"I've been wanting to find my lost locket," said Tarah. "I lost it near Silver Rock Isle when my dad and I were on a boat ride a year ago. It fell in the water, and I haven't seen it since then."

"What does your locket look like?" asked Luka.

"It's a waterproof necklace with a golden-shaped heart," explained Luka. "It has a picture of my mom in it."

Luka then smiled. Then she said to the Trainers, "Okay, everyone, the nice girl in the wheelchair says she needs help to find her lost locket. So we'll all plan to go underwater using our special diving gear."

Everyone was happy to help Tarah...all but Ed.

_Hmph! Thanks a lot, Tarah, _thought Ed disdainfully.

* * *

A few minutes later, every Trainer had been outfitted with special diving gear, including Pikachu and Luka.

Lugia came to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. _Wow, you look great!_

"Thanks, Lugia," replied Tristan. "Now you'll get to see how it works."

"That's right, Lugia," agreed Hillary. "So you'll be getting your wish after all."

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Luka explained how the diving gear worked as she put it on. "The diving suits you're wearing will help protect you from the cold temperatures you experience underwater. The deeper we go underwater, the colder it gets. Second, the goggles you have will help protect your eyes and help you see underwater. The air tanks that you carry on your back contain the air that's used to help you breathe through the face mask. And finally, the face mask helps you talk and communicate with other people underwater."

Everyone seemed intrigued by how the gear worked.

Lugia seemed to be impressed. _So that's how the Trainers will be able to talk and breathe underwater._

"Now, you must make sure that you have every part of your gear on at all times while you're underwater," cautioned Luka. "And even though we can stay underwater for an extended period of time, we'll all need to watch our air supply. Any questions?"

Tarah raised her hand. "Hey, Luka? I can't swim so well since I'm in my wheelchair most of the time. How will I be able to see the action?"

"And Togepi can't swim very well, either," added Hillary.

Luka came to Tarah. "I have something special for you, Tarah," she said. And she took out a special computer out of her backpack. Then she turned it on and gave it to Tarah. "I've outfitted every Trainer's diving gear with a special camera, so you'll be able to see what they see underwater."

"Oh, thank you, miss Luka!" said Tarah.

Hillary gave Togepi to Tarah to hold. "And Togepi can see it all with you."

"Thanks, Hillary," replied Tarah. "I'll take good care of it."

"And I'll take care of the both of you," added Professor Elm.

* * *

_(Music Cue: Surf M40B 1997-1998)_

A few minutes later, Luka and the Trainers set off in her boat as Lugia swam alongside.

Cody was a little nervous. "Well, this is gonna be a whole new experience for me."

"Why's that, Cody?" asked Tristan.

"I've never been down in the bottom of the ocean before," explained Cody. "When I was afraid of the ocean, I never had the chance to see and experience it for myself, and I kept having nightmares about being trapped in the bottom of the ocean with no way out. But now that I remember going into the ocean and saving you from those waves on Seafoam Island, I don't feel as afraid to try something new."

Tristan smiled. "Well, when it comes to the ocean, there will always be a way out. We'll just be very careful, right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Tristan," replied Cody. "I'll remember that."

Presently, Luka stopped the boat. "If anyone has a Water Pokémon that they'd like to use to assist in our dive, feel free to use them."

Tristan sent out Croconaw while Hillary sent out her Squirtle.

Oliver came forward. "And I have a Pokémon that'll help us, too." And he tossed his Poké Ball in the air.

A blue Pokémon resembling an anglerfish emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had red eyes and a Y-shaped antenna with an orb at each end.

"That must be Oliver's Lanturn," said Tristan to himself.

Professor Elm took Tristan's Pokédex out and gave it to Tarah. "Would you like to look it up, Tarah?"

"Okay," replied Tarah as she scanned Lanturn with it.

_"Lanturn, the Light Pokémon. The light that it emits from its tentacle-like limb shines bright enough to illuminate the bottom of a deep sea."_

"That's awesome," said Tarah.

"Okay, is everybody ready?" asked Luka.

Everyone said yes.

"Okay, let's put on our mouthpieces and explore the underwater world!" said Luka. And she and the Trainers put on their goggles and mouthpieces and dove underwater while Tarah, Togepi, and Professor Elm stayed behind to watch the boat and the action on Luka's computer.

"Promise me that you'll be careful down there, okay?" said Tarah.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Tristan assured her.

"And I'll make sure he's fine," added Hillary.

_And I'll make sure they're all fine, _put in Lugia.

Tarah smiled as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu dove underwater.

Lugia soon followed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Mythical Mew)_

Cody was amazed at how different it was below the surface. _It's wet all right. And it certainly looks peaceful._ He then gasped as he saw a school of Goldeen beautifully swimming by. "Wow," he said to himself. Then he realized that thanks to the diving gear and face mask, he could communicate and talk just like the others could.

Tristan came to Cody. "How do you like it?"

"It's great," answered Cody. "Life down here does look wonderful for these Pokémon. All they do is swim, eat, and sleep all day. It's amazing that a life as simple as the life those Water Pokémon have can be so great."

Pikachu seemed to be enjoying swimming like a Water Pokémon as well.

Tristan smiled as he saw Pikachu floating by. "Looking good there, Pikachu."

Pikachu smiled and gave a reply.

Even Croconaw was enjoying itself as it swam.

Luka gathered all the Trainers and Pokémon together and gave each of them a flashlight. "These flashlights will help you see as we go deeper into the sea," she explained. "Now just so you don't get lost, I need you to stay with a buddy. Tristan, I'll need you to be with Cody."

Tristan, Cody, and Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Hillary, I'll need you to be with Ed," continued Luka.

"Hmph!" grumbled Ed.

_I don't know about this, _thought Hillary.

When she assigned the other Trainers with a buddy, she said, "I'll swim with Oliver since he has a source of light. Now just remember that even though Tarah asked us to find her locket, there's no guarantee that we will. However, there's always room to have fun down here and explore. Lugia will also help supervise things while we swim down here. Now let's all enjoy our time underwater and report back to this spot in one hour."

All the Trainers and Pokémon nodded in agreement and swam off.

* * *

As Tristan and Cody swam together, Lugia swam alongside.

_Wow, you two are swimming very nicely, _remarked Lugia. _Does this special equipment help people talk and breathe underwater like I do?_

"Yes it does," answered Tristan.

_That's awesome. Wanna have a quick swimming race?_

"Sure, as long as everyone stays out of danger," replied Tristan.

_Don't worry, I have excellent hearing and perfect vision, even underwater. And everyone is within my line of sight, so if someone gets into trouble, I'll quickly come to the rescue._

"Okay, you've convinced me," chuckled Tristan.

_We'll swim to that abandoned ship, which is about 100 yards away, and back to this exact spot, _explained Lugia. _Whoever gets back here first wins._

"You're on," agreed Tristan.

_Hey, Cody, would you like a ride? _asked Lugia.

"Okay," replied Cody. He seemed very excited to ride on Lugia for the quick race.

"Hey, what about us, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

_Pikachu can ride on you! Tee-hee! _chuckled Lugia. _Just for this race. And you've got Croconaw._

Croconaw nodded as it offered Tristan a lift.

"Well, I guess that's only fair," said Tristan.

Pikachu got on Tristan's shoulder.

"Ready, pal?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded.

_(Music Cue: Get Pokémon!)_

Everyone got into position and got ready to race.

"Ready?" called Tristan. "On your mark...get set...GO!"

At that instant, Croconaw and Lugia swam as fast as they could; however, Lugia built an early lead thanks to its incredible speed.

Cody was laughing as he hung on.

_So, Cody, are you having a good time? _asked Lugia.

"You bet I am, Lugia, this is a blast!" replied Cody.

* * *

Back on the boat, Tarah was watching the action on the computer. She saw Cody riding on Lugia. "Hi, Cody!" Then she saw Professor Elm walk over. "That Lugia really is fast! I've never seen a Pokémon go that fast underwater before."

"Well, this Lugia has been known to be one of the best swimmers out there ever since it hatched," replied Professor Elm. "I guess Lugia couldn't resist testing out its speed against Tristan to see who was faster. However, I think we all know who that is."

Tarah was getting more and more excited as she saw the race unfold.

* * *

Back underwater, Cody and Lugia had just reached the abandoned ship. Then they quickly turned around and headed back to where they started from. They swam past Tristan, Croconaw, and Pikachu, who were just getting to the abandoned ship.

"We'll see you at the finish line, Tristan!" called Cody.

"Oh, yeah?" replied Tristan. "We'll see who sees whom!"

And he, Croconaw, and Pikachu reached the abandoned ship, turned around, and headed back to where they started from. Pretty soon, they caught up to Lugia and Cody.

_Ready to go faster, Cody? _asked Lugia.

"You bet!" replied Cody.

At that moment, Lugia swam even faster, and pulled away from Tristan and Pikachu.

"No fair! Wait up!" shouted Tristan playfully as he, Pikachu, and Croconaw swam even faster in an attempt to catch up to them.

In a few short seconds, Lugia and Cody had made it back to the exact same spot that they had started from.

"Yes, we did it!" cried Cody. "We won the race!"

_We sure did, Cody, _agreed Lugia. _Now we just have to wait for the slowpokes to catch up._

Seconds later, Tristan, Pikachu, and Croconaw swam up to Cody and Lugia.

"Well, at least we made it," replied Tristan. "It was a good race, Lugia. When it comes to speed, you're one of the best."

_Well, I did go faster toward the end, _replied Lugia.

Tristan turned to Cody and said, "Did you enjoy riding on Lugia underwater?"

"It was awesome!" replied Cody. "It was better than any water ride at an amusement park!"

Tristan smiled. "I'm glad you had fun."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Taken for a Fool)_

Meanwhile, Ed was teasing a Shellder by playing with its tongue. "This one is so much fun to play with!"

"Ed, you have to stop!" implored Hillary as she and Squirtle came up to him. "That Shellder doesn't like having its tongue grabbed like that!"

Shellder quickly closed its shell, but not before it attempted to clamp Ed's hand.

However, Ed quickly got it out of the way.

Hillary gave a sigh. "You have to stop provoking Pokémon like that, Ed, or else they'll attack you."

"Oh, so what?" replied Ed. "What's the worst that could happen besides getting clamped by a measly Shellder? Besides, it didn't hurt me."

"No, but it tried to," insisted Hillary. "Don't you realize that you could've gotten hurt if that Shellder clamped you like that?"

"Oh, pish tosh!" said Ed in disbelief. "I'd never let something like that scare me, let alone clamp me. Hey, look at that!" Something had apparently caught his eye, and he quickly swam off.

"Ed, wait, come back!" called Hillary as she swam after him.

They swam to what appeared to be a short, thin leek.

"Wow, look at that!" said Ed. "I bet we're gonna have a field day with this feast!" And he tried pulling it into his hand. Little did he know that it was a gray tentacle.

"Um, I don't know if you should be pulling that thing, Ed," said Hillary nervously.

"Who cares what you think?" replied Ed. "Now help me pull."

Suddenly, the tentacle was pulled back as Ed tried to pull it. Then, a blue jellyfish Pokémon appeared and beat a hasty retreat.

"That was a Tentacool," said Hillary.

"Aww, no fair," groaned Ed. "I wanted to have that leek for dinner."

Just then, a pair of eyes glowed balefully.

"Now we're in for it," said Hillary nervously.

Ed wasn't scared. "So what if a pair of eyes glows at me and threaten to do bodily harm? I'm not screaming in terror and swimming for my life like you seem to be."

"Will you be quiet?!" shouted Hillary.

_(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

Suddenly, Hillary and Ed saw multiple gray tentacles approach as a big jellyfish Pokémon with two large red orbs on either side made its appearance.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Hillary nervously.

Sure enough, the Pokémon didn't look very happy, and it swam slowly towards Tristan and Hillary.

"That's a Tentacruel!" gasped Hillary.

"Do you think it has dinner for us?" asked Ed hopefully.

"I'm sure that Tentacruel knows we mean no harm," replied Hillary. "This is no time to panic."

_(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

Just then, Tentacruel raised its front appendage and pointed it at Ed and Hillary.

"Uh-oh," gasped Ed. "I guess we're gonna _be _dinner!"

"I was wrong," said Hillary. "This is a terrific time to panic. Looks like Tentacruel's getting ready to attack."

"Why?" asked Ed.

"Well, I don't know, Ed," replied Hillary. "Maybe you teased that Tentacool over there!"

Suddenly, Tentacruel unleashed a Poison Sting attack toward Ed and Hillary.

"Look out!" cried Ed.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle fired a powerful blast of water from its mouth at Tentacruel's Poison Sting negating the attack.

"Come on, we have to warn the others and get back to the surface immediately," advised Hillary.

"But what about Tarah's locket?" asked Ed.

"We can't worry about that now, Ed, not while everyone is exposed to the danger," replied Hillary. "Now let's move!"

And they swam off.

But as soon as they did, Tentacruel quickly came after them.

* * *

Back on the boat, Tarah had seen everything. "What's going on? Why is that Tentacruel chasing them?"

"I don't know, Tarah," replied Professor Elm. "But it looks like they might have invaded the Tentacruel's territory. We have to get the Trainers back on the boat and get out of here."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lugia had picked up on the danger. _Uh-oh._

"What's up, Lugia?" asked Tristan.

_Just look there, _replied Lugia as it pointed to Tentacruel chasing Hillary and Ed.

"This is bad," said Cody, who was concerned. "What should we do?"

Just then, a voice came from Tristan's diving gear. "Tristan, this is Luka. There's a dangerous Tentacruel chasing Hillary and Ed. Hillary alerted me of the danger just a few seconds ago. Find all the Trainers and get back to the boat immediately."

"Understood," agreed Tristan. He turned to Cody and Lugia. "Come on, we have to find the others and get back to the surface."

Cody, Lugia, and Pikachu nodded in agreement and swam off. It didn't take them long to find all the Trainers and warn them of the danger.

"Hurry, everyone," warned Tristan. "We have to get back to the boat."

And they all started to the surface.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tentacruel was steadily gaining on Hillary and Ed.

"What do we do, Hillary?" asked Ed.

"We'll think of something," replied Hillary.

Tentacruel shot another Poison Sting attack at Ed and Hillary.

But just then, another Water Gun attack negated it.

Hillary and Ed turned around to see that Tristan and his Croconaw had come to their rescue. Then she saw that Luka, Lugia, and the other Trainers were with them.

"Perfect timing, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

"Lugia and Luka, you two make sure that the others make it back to the boat while Hillary and I hold that Tentacruel off," suggested Tristan.

_You got it, Tristan, _replied Lugia.

"Just be careful," advised Luka. She turned to the other Trainers. "Okay, follow us!"

And she and Lugia led the other Trainers to safety.

But just then, a little necklace with a heart-shaped locket floated by and it got caught in Lugia's wing as it rose up higher and higher.

Lugia didn't take much notice.

"Water Gun!" ordered Tristan and Hillary as they faced Tentacruel.

Squirtle and Croconaw teamed up and blasted the Tentacruel with their Water Gun attacks.

On the boat, Professor Elm and Tarah saw Luka, Lugia, and the others emerging out of the water.

Luka manged to help the Trainers back on board her boat.

"Okay, Tristan and Hillary, we're all clear, so come on back!" said Luka.

"Right!" agreed Tristan and Hillary.

And they and their Pokémon quickly swam away from the Tentacruel to the surface and safely back on the boat.

Afterwards, the boat took off at full speed straight toward shore.

* * *

Later that evening, all the Trainers were back in their regular clothes as Luka had a long talk with Ed on the beach.

"What?! What were you thinking, Ed?" exclaimed Luka, her voice full of scorn and concern. "You should know better than to provoke that Tentacool the way you did. And playing with a Shellder's tongue wasn't very smart of you, either."

Ed gave a big sigh. "I just wanted to play with those Pokémon."

"I know you just wanted to play with them, and there's nothing wrong with that," said Luka. "However, provoking them isn't the way to do it. Some Pokémon don't like being teased."

Ed nodded reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to expose everybody to the danger."

Luka gave a sigh. Then she replied, "Well, as long as everyone came out of it okay, that's all that matters."

"Even me?"

"Even you." Then Luka put her hands on Ed's shoulders. "I'm sure that you learned your lesson from all this."

"Yes, I did," replied Ed. "I will never provoke a Pokémon intentionally again."

"Good for you," smiled Luka. Then she turned to the Trainers and said, "Despite that mishap with that Tentacruel, I hope you all had a fun time swimming underwater."

"Yes, Luka, we did," all the Trainers said together.

_(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Tarah came to Luka. "Hey, Luka, did you ever find my locket?"

"No, I'm afraid we didn't," answered Luka.

Tarah sighed. "Oh, well. I guess it's gone. I guess I'll never find my locket."

Presently, Lugia was seen struggling with one of its wings.

"What's the matter, Lugia?" asked Tristan as he and Pikachu came over.

_I have this itch on my right wing, and I can't reach it! Could you please help me?_

"Sure, Lugia," replied Tristan as he attempted to scratch Lugia's itch.

_Ahhhh, that's better, _sighed Lugia.

But as Tristan scratched Lugia's itch, something fell out and dropped to the ground.

It was a necklace with a golden-heart shaped locket attached to it.

Tarah recognized it immediately and rolled over. "That's my locket! That's my locket!"

"Your what?" Tristan couldn't believe it.

Lugia gently picked it up with its wingtips and handed it to Tarah as Luka, Professor Elm, and the others came over. _You mean this thing?_

Tarah opened up the locket, and sure enough, there was a picture of her mother, and it was still intact after a year in the water. Then she put it around her neck and asked, "Where was it?"

_I'm not sure, _replied Lugia. _All I knew was that something got in my wing as I was rising to the surface with the others, but I didn't want it to distract me while I helped them to safety._

Tarah gave Lugia a hug. "Oh, thank you for finding my locket, Lugia. You're the best."

_Oh, it was nothing, Tarah, _replied Lugia. _And you're very welcome._

"I'm glad that worked out," smiled Luka.

"What do you say to a little dinner, everyone?" suggested Professor Elm.

All the Trainers agreed and invited Luka as a special guest as they ate dinner around the campfire.

* * *

_After a fun and exciting day of underwater adventures, Tarah has been reunited with her lost locket after a year of absence. Now our heroes and the other Trainers will look forward to another exciting day tomorrow as Whirl Camp continues._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


	69. WHIRL CAMP, PART 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 69 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Whirl Islands. I decided to base this chapter off of Chapter 12 called "A Rescue" from the book _The Trumpet of the Swan_. In that book, Applegate Skinner was being teased for having a name like Applegate, and wanted to do something to get even. Well, the same goes for Ed, but with storms approaching. You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter. There are similarities and differences from these chapters, but I hope you enjoy it just the same. Also, I decided to add Will of the Elite Four from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. What skills does he posess? Read and find out. Please read and review responsibly at your leisure.**

**TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and the other Trainers meet a Trainer of the Johto region's Elite Four, Will, who is able to read the future. He knows Lugia has a pure heart. However, an exasperated Ed, after being made fun of just because of his name, decides to swim far out to sea in a big storm and gets into big trouble, and it's up to Lugia to save the day!**

**Chapter 69: WHIRL CAMP, PART 3**

_(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard at the beginning of "Takin' it on the Chinchou"))_

_Today, our heroes are enjoying a nice breakfast inside the Pokémon Center. But little do they know that a pleasant surprise will be coming to Whirl Camp._

"Wow, sis," said Tristan as he ate his breakfast with Pikachu. "We've seen so many amazing things and have met amazing people and Pokémon."

Hillary nodded in agreement. "And I'm sure there will be other things to look forward to as well. Right, Togepi?"

Togepi nodded and chirped in agreement.

_(Music Cue: Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture (on the TV))_

Presently, a news bulletin came on the television set overhead as a newscaster appeared. "We have just received breaking news that Will of the Johto region's Elite Four will be doing his tour throughout the region. He is well-known for raising Psychic Pokémon as well as being able to read what's on a Pokémon's mind and connecting with their hearts. There are also rumors that he can predict the future as well. He will be making several stops along the way. His first stop on his tour will be Silver Rock Isle in the Whirl Islands where he plans to meet several Trainers, who are even now taking part in a summer camping program called Whirl Camp."

"Did you hear that, Tristan?" asked Hillary, who jumped up in excitement.

"I sure did, sis," replied Tristan. "What?"

"Will of the Elite Four is coming!" said Hillary. "We'll get a chance to meet a member of the Elite Four we haven't seen yet!"

"No way!" replied Tristan. "I honestly thought that Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance made up the Elite Four...unless one of them retired."

"But that's only in Kanto," said Hillary. "Each region has its own Elite Four in case you've forgotten. And the Johto region also shares some of the Elite Four positions with Kanto. Ergo, there may be more of the Elite Four in these two regions than we know. Now come on already, let's go see Will of the Elite Four!" And she and Togepi quickly left the cafeteria.

"Hey, wait for us!" called Tristan as he and Pikachu rushed after her.

* * *

_(Music Cue: The Shadow that Follows Team Rocket (Mew's Theme))_

Lugia was enjoying a nice breakfast in the water when it saw Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi quickly approaching the beach. It flew over to meet them. _You two look excited today. What's up?_

"Will of the Elite Four is coming!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

_Who's Will? _asked Lugia. _And who's the Elite Four?_

"The Elite Four are a group of really strong Trainers," explained Hillary. "They're the strongest Trainers in the entire region. They use different battle strategies not only to help attain victory, but they also help Trainers develop those very strategies in battle."

"Wow, Hillary, since when did _you _become an expert of the Elite Four?" asked Tristan.

"Did you forget?" replied Hillary. "I've watched some of those matches with you on television back at home sometimes." She then took out a magazine and showed Will's picture to Lugia. "Will came in as a total unknown and managed to defeat two members of Kanto's Elite Four recently. Agatha put up a good fight with her Ghost Pokémon, but their Poison-type characteristics proved to be no match for the Psychic attacks Will's Pokémon launched. Bruno's Fighting Pokémon didn't stand a chance against them, either. And that was how he was accepted into the Elite Four. And not only that, Will is able to read the minds of humans and Pokémon and connect with their hearts. There's also speculation that he can see into the future."

Lugia was impressed. _You must really like this Will. He looks scary at first glance with that mask on, but from the way you're talking about him, I'd say he shows no signs of malice._

"I think you'll be impressed by Will's abilities, Lugia," said Hillary. "And you will, too, Tristan. Just wait and see."

_Hmmm, _thought Lugia to itself. _I wonder how skilled Will is. If he can read minds and connect with their hearts, maybe I can ask him to read my mind and connect with mine. I just hope that he sees that Silveena accepts me in the end._

* * *

Professor Elm and the other Trainers met up with Tristan and Hillary and their Pokémon friends a few minutes later.

Then, Professor Elm gathered all the Trainers together and said, "Good morning, everyone. We have a special guest today. And I hear he's one of the best when it comes to connecting with the hearts of Pokémon. So let's all give a warm welcome to one of the newest members of the Elite Four, Will!"

As Will himself came to the front, everyone clapped...all but Ed. He didn't seem interested at all.

"Good morning, everyone," said Will. "Yes, as Professor Elm mentioned, my name is Will of the Elite Four. I specialize in Psychic Pokémon, and have trained my Pokémon all over the world, making them stronger. And recently, I was, at last, accepted into the Elite Four. I always know that I can only keep getting better."

Oliver raised his hand. "Excuse me, Will. What got you into Pokémon Training?"

"That's an excellent question, young man," smiled Will. "And I'll be glad to share it with you."

* * *

_(Music Cue: Reunion)_

"One day, many years ago, a huge thunderstorm had just passed over my house. As I was walking in the fields to survey the damage the storm left behind, I saw a little Natu. It had clearly been injured, but I didn't know why. I didn't know it at first, but I had the ability to communicate using my heart. The little Natu was afraid, like it was expecting me to hurt it. But it was in too much pain to move, and it passed out. So I carefully picked it up and took it home with me.

"As I was treating Natu, I saw into its eyes and saw that it had been injured by a lightning strike near my home earlier in the day, and I wasn't sure where the blast had come from, but I knew it was close by. I suddenly discovered that I was able to read the little Natu's mind and see what had happened. The poor thing had a traumatizing experience and kept trembling. I even saw it shed a few tears because it couldn't get the event out of its mind. So I gently picked up the little Natu and held it in my arms and assured it that it was safe. That seemed to help it feel better. It then fell fast asleep.

"I bandaged up its tiny wings and helped nurse it back to health, although I must admit that I'd never bandaged little wings before. They're smaller than the wings of a teeny-weeny Pidgey.

"After the little Natu woke up, I gave it some Pokémon food to help get its strength back up. It loved the taste and warmed up to me more and more.

"Natu helped me practice reading its mind for days and days. Some days were successful, but others were not. But I kept at it until I mastered my ability to read minds.

"Then, when it was fully recovered, I thought I should release it back into the wild, but the little Natu didn't want to leave me. And who could blame it? It was too happy to leave...it enjoyed my company, so I let it stay with me.

* * *

"We became the best of friends, and have been together ever since," finished Will.

"Wow, that's a great story," said Oliver.

Hillary decided to look up Natu's entry in her Pokédex.

_"Natu, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Natu moves around by hopping and always seems to be staring at something."_

"And now, I'd like to show you my partner today." And Will took out his Poké Ball, and it opened.

A green condor-like Pokémon with long red and black tipped white wings emerged from the light that shot out of it.

The Trainers were impressed.

"Is that the same Natu that you helped rescue, Will?" asked Hillary.

"Yes, it is," answered Will. "This is just its evolved form. Meet Xatu."

Tristan looked up Xatu in his Pokédex.

_"Xatu, the Mystic Pokémon. Xatu is said to be able to foretell the future with a high degree of accuracy, but it is unknown whether its prophecies are correct."_

"Xatu and I have been working together and reading into the hearts of Pokémon," explained Will. "If the Pokémon is happy, that makes the Trainer happy. Of course, if the Pokémon isn't feeling very happy, and the Trainer cares about it, then I help them figure it out by telling them what the Pokémon needs, whether it just needs a little love and attention, or whether it needs help with an injury. Whatever difficulties the Pokémon has with a Trainer, I help them overcome those very difficulties. And as a result, the bond between the Pokémon and the Trainer is stronger than ever."

A Trainer with dark blue hair stood up and raised his hand. "Excuse me, Will. My name's Zachary Evans. I'd like to show you my Pokémon."

"Go ahead, Zachary," smiled Will.

"Yanma, I choose you!" shouted Zachary as he threw his Poké Ball.

A large red dragonfly Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. A green mask marking covered most of its face, and it had clear wings.

"What's that?" asked Hillary as she scanned the Pokémon with her Pokédex.

_"Yanma, the Clear Wing Pokémon. Through the use of its two large eyes, Yanma can see in all directions at once. Yanma is capable of beating its wings at a high rate of speed, generating a powerful shock wave strong enough to shatter glass. Some of Yanma's strongest attacks are Tackle, Double Team, and Sonic Boom."_

"Ah, now that's one nice Yanma," remarked Will. "I can tell that when you first met, it was injured, and when you helped nurse it back to health, you had some difficulty controlling its power when it broke all the windows in town. You've both been training hard, and now you're able to use Sonic Boom without fear of losing control of those powers."

Zachary was impressed. "Wow, you mean that?"

Will nodded. "Just keep on training that Yanma of yours, and you two will be tough to beat."

"Thanks, Will," replied Zachary. "We'll do our best, right, Yanma?"

Yanma nodded.

Tristan and Hillary smiled. They knew how much love Zachary had for his Yanma, and how Yanma loved him in return.

Then, every Trainer rose his hand, wanting a chance to for Will to communicate with their Pokémon's minds.

Will was only happy to oblige. "All right, kids, one at a time, one at a time."

Lugia seemed to be impressed. _So that's how he reads a Pokémon's mind. If he knows my future, maybe he can tell me what it holds regarding my life, and if I'll win Silveena over._

* * *

_(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)_

Later, as the other Trainers played with each other on the beach, Tristan and Hillary took Lugia over to meet Will, who understood the circumstances.

"Ah, I see," said Will. "So this Lugia is the one who befriended you right after it hatched, right?"

Tristan nodded. "Lugia and I always have a fun time when we get together. We play and fly in the sky. It's always a blast."

"And Lugia's very strong, too," added Hillary.

Will nodded and seemed to agree. "I also see that it's had very tough moments in its life, like when it had to leave its family behind."

Lugia sadly nodded in agreement.

"However," continued Will, "you managed to grow up big and strong in record time, thanks to Tristan's patience and kindness." He then turned to Tristan. "I can see that you and Lugia share a really strong bond, Tristan. And I'd say that the secret of that bond lies around your neck."

"Oh, you mean my Silver Wing?" Tristan showed his Silver Wing to Will.

"Silver Wings like that are very hard to come by," explained Will. "Only a select few Trainers are capable of possessing that power. And it's no small wonder that this Lugia chose you to be its friend after it hatched. You've both grown physically and mentally, and I can see in Lugia's eyes that it's never a Pokémon who harms humans, but only helps them when they're in trouble. That may be one reason why the two of you were meant to meet and become friends."

_Hey, Will, could you please tell me about my future? _asked Lugia. _I met another Lugia the other day. She had pink fins instead of blue ones, and was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. The only problem is that she rejected me because she thinks that all humans are evil, and I've been close friends with Tristan and his Pikachu ever since I first hatched. _A few tears fell down Lugia's eyes. _Please, could you tell me if Silveena and I will be together even though Tristan and I will always be friends?_

Will gave the matter a lot of thought. Finally, he said, "It won't be easy, but Xatu and I can help you see into the future. Before I begin, I must tell you that the vision of the future that you'll see is not guaranteed to happen. You will have to work hard and show determination to make your dream come true. Do you understand everything that I've said?"

_Yes, _answered Lugia. _I'll try anything. I'm desperate to have Silveena as my mate, and expand my population._

Will raised his arms into the air and said, "All right, Xatu, are you ready?"

Xatu nodded. It closed its eyes and tightened its focus.

_(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

"What's Xatu doing, Will?" asked Tristan.

"Xatu is getting ready to see into the future," explained Will. "Once Xatu has a clear vision, it will show Lugia's future to us."

Xatu focused harder and harder for the next few seconds. Finally, it opened its eyes. It was ready to see the future.

"Now, Xatu, Future Sight!" commanded Will.

Xatu's eyes glowed blue, then the scenery changed to what appeared to be a Lugia trapped in a cage at the top of a tall tower. It had pink fins and looked very miserable.

Tristan and Hillary recognized that very tower.

"That's the radio station in Goldenrod City!" gasped Tristan. "And look who's in that cage!"

"That must be Silveena!" said Hillary, who was still in shock. "But what's she doing in there? And what does she have to do with the radio station in Goldenrod City?"

Then they saw themselves confronting people in black uniforms.

"That's us!" exclaimed Tristan. "But who are we facing?"

Then red letter R's appeared on their uniforms.

"Team Rocket!" gasped Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Togepi were just as shocked as their Trainers were as they saw themselves battling alongside them.

Then, Tristan and Hillary saw another scene where Lugia and Silveena were happily reunited as they watched.

_Could that be...? _thought Lugia, _...that looks like me...and Silveena...together. That means...if I work hard...and show my courage to Silveena...my dream can still come true!_

Just then, Xatu's eyes stopped glowing, the vision ended, and the scenery changed back to the beach, which was where everyone was when its Future Sight was used.

Lugia was awestruck. _Was that...a vision of the future?_

"Yes, it was," answered Will. "In that vision, you will run into Silveena again, and she will happily accept you as her husband, Lugia. However, Silveena will be used for evil purposes in the future." Then he turned to Tristan and Hillary. "It'll be up to you two to save her and make sure that Lugia's dream comes true."

"You can count on us, right, Pikachu?" said Tristan.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"And Togepi and I will do our best to help, too," added Hillary.

Togepi chirped happily.

_Thanks so much, guys, _said Lugia. _You're the best friends I could ever ask for. And I'll be sure to help you no matter what kind of trouble comes your way._

_That's true, _thought Tristan. _But something's bothering me. What does Team Rocket have to do with Silveena? And where does the radio station fit into all this?_

* * *

_(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

Later that day, Will had been invited as a special guest for lunch. As Tristan was busily fixing lunch for the Trainers and the Pokémon, one of them started to tease Ed about his name.

"Hey, Ed, where'd you get such a simple, yet funny name?" he asked.

"My parents gave it to me," replied Ed. "Why do you care?"

Another Trainer said, "I know what his name is. _Rotten _Ed!"

This caused several Trainers to laugh.

"Hey! That's not funny!" yelled Ed.

A third Trainer spoke up. "Hey, you know what? The last person who eats Tristan's lunch is a rotten Ed!"

That bad joke caused the Trainers to burst into screams of laughter.

Ed was most offended and began to cry.

Tarah, who was watching from a distance seemed concerned. "I don't like where this is going," she said to herself.

"Aw, now he's become a crybaby," taunted a fourth Trainer.

The four Trainers laughed again.

Hillary was clearly annoyed. "Hey, you know that's not funny! Leave Ed alone!"

"Leave _rotten_ _crybaby _Ed alone, she means," whispered the third Trainer.

Some of the Trainers had to pull their backpacks over their heads so that their snickering couldn't be heard.

"Now, I want you to apologize to Ed right this minute!" demanded Hillary.

One of the Trainers, who had teased Ed came to him. "I'm sorry that you have such a silly name, rotten crybaby Ed," he said rather insincerely.

The other Trainers who had teased Ed with him laughed wildly.

Ed felt sore as tears fell down his face. "Just leave me alone!" And he ran off.

In the distance, Lugia had seen Ed and quietly followed him.

* * *

_(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

A few moments later, Ed came to an undersea tunnel and stood in wonder.

It was the same tunnel that Tristan and Pikachu went through to get to Ogi Isle.

Ed slowly walked inside. He wanted to do something to get even. _I'll show those loser Trainers, _he thought.

Lugia flew over the tunnel and saw Ed emerge from it onto Ogi Isle.

Ed came to the water's edge and removed his clothes. He had his swimming trunks on, and had planned to swim far out into the ocean. He gulped and hesitated. But a moment later, he jumped into the water and began to swim. He wanted to prove to those Trainers that having a name like Ed was not something to be laughed at.

_What's Ed doing? _thought Lugia. _I have a strange feeling that whatever he's planning, I doubt it's good. _And as it watched Ed swim, it flew high above him.

Ed swam on and on. As he did, the water got deeper and deeper.

Dark clouds began to cover the sky.

_I have to do something, or else he'll be in trouble, _thought Lugia. Then it shouted, _Ed! Please come back to shore! It's not safe to be in water that deep!_

But Ed didn't hear Lugia and swam on. But as he did, the water got even deeper.

The sky got even darker, and the wind began to grow stronger. Seconds later, lightning flashed and rain began to fall.

Lugia tried again. _Ed, please come back! Don't go any further! Head back to shore!_

But Ed still didn't hear Lugia and continued swimming. But as he did, the wind got even stronger, and the waves got higher and higher.

Suddenly, one wave hit him squarely in the face, causing him to go under.

_Ed, no! _cried Lugia.

Tense seconds passed as the waves got higher and higher.

_(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

Suddenly, Ed emerged from the water and struggled to stay afloat. Another wave hit him in the face and he got a mouthful of water. He became very scared. "Help! Help me!" he screamed. And he sank below the surface once again.

_I'm coming, Ed! _cried Lugia. And it folded its wings and quickly dove into the water to save him.

* * *

Back on Silver Rock Isle, Tristan and Hillary saw the storm as they felt the strong winds and rain.

"Looks like that storm came quickly," said Hillary nervously.

"You're right," replied Tristan. "Let's get all the Trainers inside. I can serve them and the Pokémon their lunch inside the cabin."

"Good idea," agreed Hillary. But suddenly, she noticed that Ed wasn't with the other Trainers. "Have you seen Ed?"

"No, I haven't," replied Tristan.

"This is bad," said Hillary, who was now full of concern. "I don't know where he could've gone off to."

Suddenly, Tristan's Silver Wing flashed repeatedly. Then he heard Ed's voice.

"Help! Help me!"

Tristan gasped in horror. "That's Ed, and he's in trouble!"

"What?!" exclaimed Hillary.

Professor Elm came to Tristan and Hillary. "What's the matter?"

"Ed's in trouble," answered Hillary, "and he needs help."

"That's terrible!" gasped Professor Elm.

"I know where he is," said Tristan. "Ed must be on Ogi Isle, and I have to find him."

"I'm coming, too!" said Hillary. "He's my responsibility, too!"

All the Trainers and Professor Elm agreed and wanted to come as well, so they all ran off to find Ed.

"I remember being on Ogi Isle once before to see Lugia hatch," explained Tristan as he led the way through the undersea cave. "I just hope we're not too late."

* * *

Back near Ogi Isle, Ed struggled to stay afloat as the waves got higher and higher. Then he sank below the surface once again.

Below the surface, Lugia frantically looked for Ed. _Time is running out. Ed__ can't survive being underwater for very long. I have to find him and get him back to the surface, or he's a goner. _Suddenly, Lugia saw Ed floating down toward it. It quickly swam to him and pointed its neck between his legs. Then it got him positioned on its back. _Dpn't worry, Ed, I've got you! _The current of the water was very strong, but Lugia had no trouble navigating through it as it rose higher and quickly got closer to the surface. _We're almost there! Just hang on!_

Ed held on to Lugia as tightly as he could as they rose higher and higher.

Tristan, Hillary, Professor Elm, Will, and all the Trainers arrived at Ogi Isle as the storm got worse. They were anxiously waiting for something to happen.

"Lapras can help look for Ed, too," said Tristan as he took out his Poké Ball.

"No, wait! Look!" said Professor Elm as he pointed out into the water.

Sure enough, a tremendous splash of water was seen, and Lugia emerged from it with Ed riding on its back.

_(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

Everyone cheered as Lugia flew above the water.

"Great save, Lugia!" commended Tristan.

"Yeah, way to go!" added Hillary.

Pikachu and Togepi cheered in agreement.

_Just as I thought, _thought Will as he proudly looked on. _That Lugia is a Pokémon that can do anything with heart and soul. It has a pure heart of gold._

Lugia didn't pay much attention to all the cheering. It carefully flew closer to shore as Ed clung tightly to it.

Soon, the skies cleared up, and the sun came out again as Lugia landed.

Lugia lowered its body to the ground, allowing Ed to dismount. Then he came to the water's edge, coughed up the seawater he swallowed, and breathed hard.

"Are you okay, Ed?" asked Hillary.

Ed was very cold and wet, but he gave a nod. Then he shivered, "I'm s-s-sorry I r-ran off."

"I'm just glad we found you and Lugia kept an eye on you," said Tristan. "Next time, please let us know where you're going."

"I will," replied Ed. "I'll do whatever you say. I promise." Then he turned to Lugia and said, "Hey, Lugia, you did okay...for a Pokémon."

_Aw, shucks, _said Lugia. _I was only doing my job. And I'm glad you're okay._

And for the first time, Ed gave a genuine smile as he and Lugia embraced one another.

* * *

Later on Silver Rock Isle, after the Trainers finished their lunch, Professor Elm and Will gathered them together.

Professor Elm gave a quick speech. "There's no doubt in my mind that we all saw what happened out in the water today. When one of our Trainers was drowning in the stormy sea, Lugia, showing bravery and complete disregard for its own safety, quickly came to the rescue. Lugia helped the Trainer back to the surface and saved his life. And because Lugia has proven to all of us that it is one of the best lifeguards we've ever had, I've invited Officer Jenny to come and have the honor of giving it the Lifesaving Badge for Pokémon and Trainers."

All the Trainers stood up, clapped their hands, and cheered as Officer Jenny arrived with a waterproof badge with a cord wrapped around it.

Then she hung the badge around Lugia's neck.

The badge read: **"To Lugia, a lifeguard, who dutifully and with complete disregard to self-safety, saved the life of Pokémon Trainer Ed."**

Lugia was confused. But it said, _Thank you so much for this. It's a huge honor._

Tristan and Hillary came to Lugia.

"Well, Lugia, looks like you have a badge, too," said Tristan.

"He's right, Lugia," agreed Hillary. "You're a hero."

Lugia just stood there, enjoying the moment as everyone clapped and cheered. It felt a great sense of pride for doing a heroic deed.

* * *

_(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

That evening at sunset, Lugia stood alone on the beach. It then took another look at the badge around its neck. _I never knew that someone like me could be a hero. I may be a lifeguard, but Will was right in saying that I help people in trouble. And no matter what Silveena thinks, I know I did the right thing and saved Ed's life. And someday, I'll help save her._

"That's the spirit, Lugia," said Tristan as he, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi came to Lugia. "There's no way you'll doubt yourself now, especially after what you did today. You're not just a great swimmer, but an excellent flyer and a great friend to have around, plus you know how to save lives. And today, you've proven yourself capable of doing just that."

"Tristan's right, Lugia," added Hillary. "And remember, Will also said that. We've never been more proud of you."

Pikachu and Togepi agreed.

Lugia turned to them and said, _Thanks, guys. You helped make it happen._ Then it thought to itself, _If my mother were here, she'd be proud of me, too._

They all stood on the water's edge and watched the sunset over the once more calm sea.

From high above, Silveena had been watching and said, _That's impossible! How did that Lugia navigate through my storm and save that human? Perhaps he's better than I thought. However, I still can't trust humans. _And with that, she flew off.

* * *

_And so, Lugia saves the day as it rescues Ed from a watery fate. And as the sun sets on an exciting day of meeting Will of the Elite Four, our heroes think about the many adventures they've had at Whirl Camp with many more yet to come. What surprises will they experience tomorrow? Stay tuned and find out as Whirl Camp continues._

**► TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
